


Then we were falling

by Thenotsocrazylunatic



Series: the amazing adventures of simon bane [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Asexual Raphael Santiago, Bad Writing, Depression, Downworlder Dad Magnus Bane, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This While Listening to Hozier's Music, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Sorry, Please Don't Hate Me, Protective Clary Fray, Raphael Santiago Has Feelings, Shadowhunters - Freeform, Simon Lewis Needs a Hug, They're all a mess, Warlock Magnus Bane, Warlock Simon Lewis, all my notes for this story are a mess, don't question any of the things i write, eventually, i hurt them a lot, warlock marks are cool
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:08:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 25,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23316643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thenotsocrazylunatic/pseuds/Thenotsocrazylunatic
Summary: Simon Lewis is thrust into the shadow world before Clary even knows of it.It's his 6th birthday and like every year his mother takes him and Rebecca out to their local comic-book store to buy him a new set of comics and toys.They never make it to the store. A drunk driver hits their car as they drive passed and their car is flipped.Simon's mother isn't responding, his sister is gone and a pretty lady is helping him out of the wreck.She tells him that her name is Camille and that she knew his father before he passed away.In shock Simon follows her and gets trapped inside the hotel Dumort.Raphael finds out what Camille did and contacts Magnus.The warlock discreetly saves Simon but now he has a little boy on his hands with no way of getting rid of him since Camille would go after him as soon as she found him again.Finding out the boy is a warlock on top of it is a whole other issue.The story of how Simon Lewis became Simon Bane and suddenly had a dad backing him up.
Relationships: simon lewis/therapy
Series: the amazing adventures of simon bane [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1676779
Comments: 12
Kudos: 165





	1. The perfect birthday

They did it every year. His mother would drag open the blinds in his room and Simon would complain that he should be able to sleep in on his birthday. His mom, sister and until recently his dad would be standing over his bed with breakfast and whatever sour mood Simon had had from being woken up at 8 am would vanish at the sight of them.

They would hold out small gifts and sing happy birthday so horribly he feared he would go deaf one of these years. But they were happy. Even after his dad was killed, they continued the tradition.

Simon was turning 7 today, he'd awoken like every other year and they all ignored the empty space that his dad used to occupy. Sometimes it felt wrong to do this without him. But Simon would be damned if he gave up these moments for anything.

Rebecca, his annoying older sister, was practically sitting on him by the time they'd finished singing. He made a show of snapping his fingers to his ears to check if they were still functioning and reveled in the laugh it drew out of his family.

"Good morning," he said, and it would be. 

After eating his cereal on his bed with Becky stealing a few bites every now and again they moved their mess downstairs where his mother dropped the bowl and glasses into the sink. She looked tired again and Simon tried very hard to ignore the empty bottle of rum that stood in the open kitchen cupboard.

Today would be his day and he would not let any of that bad stuff touch him. Once his mother seemed satisfied with whatever she'd done with the dishes she and Becky settled around the kitchen island.

"So.... what are we doing today?" his mom already knew the answer to that question. Because they did it every year without fail and she knew he wasn't about to stop now.

"Comic-book store! there are these cool new Spider-Man comics that Mr Hansen promised he'd put aside for me and i'm really excited about them," he knew he was grinning like a lunatic as he told them, spider-man was his favorite superhero and the store owner Mr Hansen always put a copy of the new comics aside for him.

Rebecca dramatically sighed from her seat at the opposite end of the island but her grin told him she wasn't as exasperated as she seemed. He'd never forced her to watch any of the star wars movies or marvel movies and yet she kept doing it so he figured she kinda secretly loved them.

"Anyway and then we can go to the mall because there's a new store open on the 3rd floor that Clary said she really liked and i wanne buy her something."as he said this Becky started making kissy faces at him. He rolled his eyes at her, something he'd picked up from his mother, and sighed.

"It's not like that! Clary and i are friends, it's gross that you think that Beck" Simon defended himself. He and Clary had been friends for the better part of 5 years now. She lived just next door with her mother. And it's true that Simon thought Clary was the most pretty girl he'd ever met,but it wasn't like what Rebecca thought. Clary was like his little sister. She was a year younger then him and wasn't afraid to play in the mud like all the other girls in the neighborhood.

Her birthday wasn't far behind his own and he wanted to get her something that wasn't a self drawn card.He'd gotten her a necklace last year and thought the reaction he'd gotten was far better then anything his cards could stir up. Besides she'd talked about that new shop for hours and complained that her mother wouldn't let her buy the pretty bracelet she'd seen in the store window with small charms on it. 

So he wanted to buy it for her, that's all. 

His mom was looking at him with that weird face again. That face that he wasn't familiar with. Her eyes would looks so sad all of a sudden but she'd smile so softly that a warm feeling would curl up in his gut.

"I have another present for you" she finally said, This sparked Simon's curiosity. Normally the comic books were his present and aside from some dollar store trinkets he never really got any other presents. He watched nervously as his mother turned around and produced a small rectangular box from the drawer behind her.

It was wrapped in gold paper and Simon was almost scared to touch it, Let alone rip it off and probably ruin the paper.

He carefully took it from her hands and turned it over. Heart almost stopping at the familiar handwriting that was displayed on the back of the package "for Simon from dad" it read. He looked back up at his mom and could now easily see tears in her eyes. 

Turning back towards the box he carefully started undoing the tape at the sides, now more determent to get it off without tearing the paper. After a minute of silence in which Simon struggled to slide the box from it's paper prison he finally got it out. The box itself was a simple light wood, the thing inside it looked like something from a fantasy movie.

It was essentially a leather bracelet. That itself would have been a rather disappointing present. It was the gem in the middle that really made it special. The two ends of the leather band both had a silver snake head with big open jaws that showed off dangerous fangs. Those fangs held up what must be a brilliant ruby gem.

"Whoa" is all Simon manages to say, because it was beautiful.

"He told me it was some sort of family heirloom, I never really asked but I know he would have wanted you to have it." The voice of his mother sounded strained when she eventually spoke up. He dared a glance at his sister to see her openly ogling at the bracelet.

"There's one for you too" their mother told his sister when she huffed out a breath. Rebecca looked pleased at that prospect, though she knew she would have to wait another 3 months for hers. She reached out to help Simon put it on and he beamed up at them both when it effortlessly snapped into place around his wrist.

"How about you both go up and freshen up a bit while I get our things ready to go out?" Their mother asked. Both siblings nodded excitedly and started a race to the bathroom that Simon realistically knew he had no way of winning. 

Becky tore passed him up the stairs and a few seconds later he heard what was probably the bathroom door slamming shut with a bang. He didn't really mind as it would give him some time to admire his new bracelet. Simon entered his room, silently vowing to clean it up after they came back from the mall since it was a mess, and sat himself down on his unmade bed.

His Captain america push lay forgotten on the floor and with the grace only a 7 year old could have, Simon reached to pick it up and tripped over his own feet.

He giggled to himself as he threw the plush on the bed and then threw himself after it. Fixing his glasses he stared at the ceiling for a while.

He missed his dad.

He'd promised himself he wouldn't think about it but knew that it was inevitable at this point. Getting a present from the man after he passed away reawakened that small childish part in Simon that was still convinced his dad wasn't really gone and him and his mom were just playing a very cruel joke on both him and Becky.

It was something he thought about a lot in the beginning. When their house was still a mess because their mom couldn't stand being in the living room without breaking down on the spot where they'd found him. He always thought that one of those days his mother would start laughing instead of crying and his dad would just waltz into the living room as if he hadn't died at all.

After a while he lost hope in that, he still sometimes hears the front door open and has the urge to call out 'dad!'. But he doesn't because his mother's car sounds different and his dad's car hadn't left the driveway in a year.

Simon doesn't realize he's crying until he hears the bathroom door open and sits up to feel tears sliding down his face. Pulling his nose up The 7 year old wipes the stray tears away and gets up from the bed.

Today would be a good birthday and nothing would be able to ruin it. Not even the void his dad left.

He got up and gathered his things to shower.

It would be the perfect birthday, he's sure of it.


	2. All good things must come to an end

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon can't breathe.  
> He can't breathe, his mother isn't responding and Rebecca has vanished.  
> Camille comes to collect what's hers.

He can't breathe.

His mom wasn't responding, Rebecca was gone and Simon couldn't breathe.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. The day had looked so hopeful. They had followed their tradition despite the fact that their dad was gone, he'd gotten a present from said dad and Rebecca had even showered briefly enough that there was enough water left for Simon to take a nice warm shower.

It wasn't fair! They wouldn't even have been there in the first place if his mom hadn't insisted on making a detour all of a sudden!

But no, they'd been going on the usual way to the local comic book store when his mother had suddenly sighed and turned away from the right street. They'd both asked her what she'd been doing but she'd muttered something about 'damn activists' and some other things that Simon knew he shouldn't repeat.

The car had come out of nowhere. Ramming into the side of their own and then everything was spinning. He's pretty sure he hit hits head because it hurt a lot and he'd woken up in the car that was flipped upside down without remembering falling asleep.

when he'd looked to his side to see if Becky was awake he only saw an empty space. Either she had gotten out or she'd vanished and Simon was to confused and in pain to figure out which one it really was.

When he'd called out for his mom, who was still in her seat with her seat belt preventing her from falling down, she didn't answer. And he'd lost whatever cool he had left because he was stuck in a car wreck, Becky was gone, his mom wasn't breathing and he couldn't move.

He's not really sure how long he's inside the car. He feels blood rushing to his head so it must at least be a few minutes. It feels like hours though and he's practically startled out of his panic by the back door on his side of the car being torn off. If he'd been less scared and panicked he'd find the thought of somebody tearing a car door off with their bare hands really cool.

But he can't really think anything as two female hands reach for him and undo his seat belt. He comes crashing down but whoever the hands belong to catch him and pull him out of the wreckage.

His sight is blurry and for the first time since becoming conscious Simon is aware of the fact that he doesn't have his glasses. They must have fallen off at some point while they were rolling. He notices immediately that it's dark outside. Why hadn't somebody come to save them sooner?

He looks at his blurry savior. It's a lady with long dark drown hair and pretty brown eyes. Her lips are painted bright red and as a superhero-obsessed 7 year old Simon can't help but compare her to the black widow.

She puts him down on the ground and suddenly Simon realizes how weak he feels. His legs are shaking from the strain of standing on them and he feels something warm and sticky on the back of his neck that he doesn't have the energy to wipe away.

The woman crouches down to his level and holds him steady with a hand on his shoulder. She gives him a pretty smile and Simon strains to smile back even though that's the last thing he wants to do right now.

"Now aren't you charming" she coos, Simon wants to scream at her,wants to beg her to check on his mother and go look for Rebecca, but something in her eyes holds him back.

"What's your name?" she asks. It's like something is slowly taking over Simon's mind, like a snake coiling around her prey and he can't stop whatever it is she's doing to him.

"Simon,"he answers her instead, the smile she gives him somehow feels like a reward and the grogginess slams into him 3 times more powerful then before. His eyes droop closed for a second and when he opens them again he swears her eyes are darker then they were before.

"It's nice to meet you Simon, my name is Camille. I'm terribly sorry about what happened to your dad."She tells him. He feels like he should react more to that then he does but all he manages to force out is a very quiet "You knew him?" as he sags into her hold further.

"Of course, your dad and I were best friends" there's something wrong about how she says that but he can't really focus anymore. 

"Oh poor baby, you must feel really tired.... I'll take you somewhere safe where you can take a nap,how does that sound?" 

His parents had taught him a variety of life lessons. How to share and love and trust. But one of the first things he'd been taught since he was old enough to go to the park on his own was that he should never ever go home with a stranger. Yet something about her compelled him to nod. He wanted to go with her. She knew his dad and held him and he was really really tired.

"safe." he muttered tiredly as the woman pulled him close to her chest and stood with him in her arms. He'd long outgrown sitting in his father's side by the time he'd passed away. Been dubbed 'to big' to carry and Simon had only complained a little before enjoying not constantly being scooped off his feet. 

This woman apparently didn't think he was to big, or maybe she just realized he wasn't really up for standing or walking. He closes his eyes then as Camille wraps an arm around him and starts walking. And just like that he passes out.

Camille Belcourt was satisfied.

She'd been searching for Levi Lewis for what seemed to be years. The last time she'd seen him he was a young 20 year old man with big dreams and blood that tasted of chocolate covered strawberries. Imagine her surprise when she found him again in her very own city with a wife and two beautiful kids. In a home that reeked of magic 

She'd only been interested in reclaiming her old toy just for the drama it might have caused but almost as soon as he'd seen her he had demanded she leave. "I have kids" he had said and oh boo hoo Camille gave not a single shit about anything the man had achieved while she'd let him live his life.

He was hers and that was all she really cared about. Then she'd seen, or rather smelled, Simon.

Just like caramel. As if he'd taken a bowl of it and injected it into his veins. And suddenly Camille was obsessed with getting a taste of him. She had tried to encanto Levi into giving her his son. But somehow he'd resisted and that had only made her yearn for him more.

She had just gotten the perfect plan in her head to get what she wanted when the Clave threw a massive uproar out of nowhere about some greater demon and then it had been nothing but inspections and long boring business meetings with stuffy bland shadowhunters who looked down their nose at her.

She'd almost forgotten about her pet project by the time everything had settled down. The smell of caramel covered popcorn had brought it all back to her. 

It was a hit in the gut to realize her toy of the decade had passed away in a robbery of his own home though she kind off saw it as karma for not allowing her a taste of his son.

She observed the family for a while, leaving her second in command Raphael at the hotel to deal with the more trivial business. But now, now she had him. Her little caramel. She'd drink from him and he'd be hers for a while.

Maybe she'd let him go just to see if the child he'd produce would be sweeter then he was. 

But for now she wanted his blood.

The hotel Dumort loomed over the pair like a haunted house and Camille smiled down at the boy in her arms with something predatory in her gaze.

"Welcome home my little caramel"


	3. The boy locked in the room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon is hurting and Camille gives him a way to feel better.

It's a lot later when Simon wakes up. His head feels like it's stuffed with cotton and he can't really remember what happened or where he is. For some reason this doesn't immediately raise red flags in his mind. 

He feels safe and he can't really explain why. A blurry image of brown hair and red lips worms it's way to the forefront of his mind but he can't quite figure out what it has to do with anything.

The room he woke up in is dark. There's a single light on the coffee table and the silver couch he's laying on has red mood lighting shining out from under it. It looks like a lounge from a club in those movies about romance his mom and sister like to watch.

Wait, his mom and sister, he thinks he should remember something about them, something very important but whatever it is is washed away the moment the door to the room he is in opens.

The woman he remembers, Camille his mind supplies, walks in with the grace of a goddess and smiles when she sees he's awake. Her teeth are as white as those of the people in those toothpaste commercials and he feels kind of stupid for smiling back at her.

"How are you feeling?" she asks him. He doesn't remember what would make him feel different other then meeting her but then again he can't really remember that either.

"Confused." He settles on that answer. A very visible look of sympathy flashes across Camille's features and suddenly Simon feels dread pooling in the pit of his stomach. With a very long sigh Camille sits down next to him. Simon doesn't let his eyes leave her as she does, suddenly aware that he doesn't know where he is and who this is.

"You were in a car accident yesterday," she started. Everything in Simon's body went rigid at the reminder. Images of the previous day flashing in his mind. Becky being gone, his mother not breathing, the fact that it was dark before Camille had gotten him out of the car.

"There was a large activist protest going on in your neighborhood,by the time somebody could reach the emergency line it was the middle of the day and then they realized there was no way to get to you," Camille continued. She sounded bitter and Simon got the feeling. The familiar sensation of grief started swelling up in his chest and tears pooled in his eyes.

"I got there around 6:30, having heard what was going on from a contact of mine, by then it was dark out. They'd gotten your sister's body out by that time and were starting to force the door by your mother's side open to get her out when i realized you were alive." Something in him insisted everything she was saying was a lie. That she was just spinning a story. But he couldn't help but believe her.

"With my help we got you out and you fell asleep in my arms, I took you to my home after you were cleared to go" He should question that,Simon was pretty sure that's not how those situations worked. Clary's stepdad Luke was a police officer and whenever he'd talk about orphaned kids he always mentioned foster homes and long processes that went over both his and Clary's heads but seemed to interest Clary's mom, Jocelyn. But for whatever reason he just accepted her words.

Why would she lie about that? 

Besides Simon wasn't really in a great mindset to be thinking logically. The 7 year old clutched this right arm close to his chest, protecting his father's bracelet and felt a sob tear past his defenses.

Camille started rubbing his back as his walls came crashing down. Shushing him every now and then in such a soft tone that it calmed him further and further every time she did it until he eventually stopped crying.

"I can make you feel better." Camille offered. He looked up at her in desperation, anything to get rid of this feeling. She smiled at him again and that same feeling of a snake lulling her prey overtook him.

"It wont hurt, just let me help you." The feeling in his chest seemed to worsen and he felt himself nodding. Because it hurt so much and if she could fix it then he'd be willing.

She instructed him to sit down properly and as he did she praised him. It made him feel somewhat lighter and caused him to not even question he when she lifted his wrist up to her mouth.

As she opened her cherry red lips he noticed her canine teeth had elongated into sharp fangs that she grazed almost lovingly over his pulse point.

"Just relax My little caramel" she muttered into his skin when his body instinctively tensed. In a flash she was biting into him. He gasped quietly as the heavy feeling in his chest lifted almost instantly. A strange sort of calm settled over him and he couldn't figure out why it would be so calming.

Slowly whatever she was doing started making him tired again. His eyes drooping close as bouts of giggles forced their way to the surface. Finally Camille deemed whatever she was doing enough.

She pulled away from his wrist, leaving two perfect round puncture wounds from which blood started to drip. Camille's smile was stained red and he reveled in the fact that the light feeling hadn't disappeared with her fangs.

"Taste just as you smell,"she told him, stroking his face in what seemed like a loving way.

Then she left.

After a while whatever Camille had done started to wear off and the heavy feeling returned to his chest as if it never left. He checked out the room when he felt like he couldn't sit still anymore and came to the conclusion that he was trapped. 

The door through which Camille had entered was locked and there were no other exits or even windows. With no sense of time and no way to escape Simon sat on the floor and stared at his wrist.

After he'd come down from that high feeling he'd felt sort of violated, which made no sense because he'd told her she could do it and if she'd offer again he would let her again.

Something inside said that it wasn't him that was agreeing to all of that stuff but that made no sense.

He falls asleep and when he wakes up Camille is there again. Somehow it becomes a routine. She comforts him,offers him a relief and he takes it only to regret it later. He doesn't understand what's happening. Where he is and if he'll ever be able to go home.

He's not sure if Camille comes once a day or more. If she really only came once then he must have been there a week or two already. Sometimes the waiting seems longer then others and he feels like he's losing his mind bit by bit.

He's 7 years old and he's scared but every time she comes in he can't tell her that.

For now he's just a boy locked in a room with no escape and no idea of time.

Maybe he'd run for it next time.

Maybe.


	4. Mr detective vampire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raphael finds out what Camille is doing in her free time, talks to their young prisoner and calls an old friend.

Raphael Santiago, Second to the New York clan and vampire for the better part of 80 years knew that Camille was up to something.

She'd started disappearing off to god knows where every day and he was getting sick of it. Every time she realized that there were 'boring' tasks to complete she suddenly thrust the title of 'clan leader' into his hands as if it burned her and vanished into thin air.

He knew for a fact that she wasn't leaving the hotel. After a week of her shady behavior he'd posted a vampire at all exists including the ones Camille thought he didn't know about. None of them ever saw her leaving or coming back. 

Whatever it was that was entertaining her these days was inside the building and Raphael dreaded to think what it would be this time. 

It had been one hell of a shore to make sure the Clave never questioned the large shipment of Siberian tigers when Camille had become obsessed with in the late 80's. She got bored of them fairly quickly. After she made them attack disloyal vampires and maul humans who weren't tasty enough that is.

Raphael found himself sighing. Despite being unable to get sick he felt a headache building up. Camille was only the head of the clan because nobody dared to speak against her. He'd been one of the first in a very long time and just like that he'd become the second in command to the New York clan.

Camille liked spice, she liked being challenged and she liked stripping the joys from her enemies one by one. Something about Raphael had always frustrated her. He was so much younger then her, in what was essentially his 'teenage years' to vampires yet he never desired what Camille did. He was a dilemma to her and oh how she loved a puzzle.

She kept trying to find what made him tick. What he desired.

The clan thought it was hilarious to see her struggle so nobody, not even the vamps way older then him, had said anything when Camille had named him second in command.

Now he was following her. 

She was acting shady again. Sounding more on edge then usual and looking as though she had somewhere to be. When she'd finally stood up in the middle of the meeting, nodded to Raphael and left the room he stood and followed her.

His right hand Lily had taken over the meeting without Raphael even needing to ask. She was a godsend sometimes.

He'd followed Camille to the basement of the hotel that basically nobody went to because it was cold and reeked of old brick and rat piss. Raphael started considering just leaving and ignoring Camille's weird attitude but then she entered a room he knew held nothing but an old unused lounge.

The smell that hit him as the door opened made something very clear. It smelled of blood, human blood.

He turned and went back upstairs, knowing that Camille would notice him once she returned from feeding off of whatever mundane she'd kidnapped. The headache he'd felt coming hit him full force and he tried very hard to ignore it.

The first mostly empty living area he comes across is where he collapses in the couch and the vampires that were in the room fled once they sensed his mood. 

Camille Belcourt was the dumbest vampire Raphael had ever met.

Kidnapping a mundane was a direct violation of the accords and Raphael would lose his shit if the Clave found out about it before he could fix Camille's mistake like he always did.

As if she's summoned by her name the queen of vampires comes strolling by the living area he's occupying. Her usual strut seems a bit less put together and a bit more sloppy. As if she'd drunken intoxicated blood. He hopes to God that when he goes down there to asses the situation he doesn't find a drunk out of their mind mundane because he'll kill her if he has to deal with any of that.

She walks on by as if she doesn't even notice him and Raphael waits a solid 10 minutes before feeling sure that she wouldn't be returning.

Standing up from his place on the comfy leather brown couch he starts casually walking to his destination. If anybody saw him 'acting shady' they'd go straight to Camille and she'd go right to her beloved prize in the basement. He knew how this worked. 

Those tigers hadn't vanished on their own.

It's another 5 minutes before he arrives at the door Camille had gone into. He steels himself for a possible drunk mundane and opens the door. One he almost immediately wants to slam shut again because not only was it a mundane in there like he'd expected. It was a child.

God give him strength.

The kid looked very pale and Raphael took in the fresh bandages on his wrist and the various band aids on his face,neck and what was exposed of his legs. The kid's brown hair was a mess of curls that were all greasy and plastered to his forehead. The stench of Urine reaches his nose and he notices a bucket in the corner of the room.

The sound of the door opening must have alerted the boy because he looked up at Raphael in surprise. His eyes were red from crying and Raphael suspected the high had gone down a while before he entered. 

"who'r you?"the young boy slurred and Raphael finally allowed himself to move. He closes the door behind him and slowly approaches the kid who practically flinches away from him.

"My name is Raphael," he starts. Keeping his hands clearly visible and intentionally trying to keep his teeth from showing. "what's your name?"

"'m Simon"The boy,Simon, looks like he's ready to pass out. The older vampire wonders how much Camille is taking from the kid if it's making him this tired. Then again maybe she just forgot that humans need food and water.

"That's a nice name," he praises quietly trying to think about what in gods name he was going to do. He couldn't just help the kid escape, Camille would have him back with more security in no time if she was prepared to break the accords for him.

"Is she coming back?" There's a strained hopefulness to the kid's voice that wrenches every thought from Raphael's mind. She was feeding on a child.

"Not for a while." he answered. What the fuck was he supposed to do now? He couldn't just leave the kid here to die. Camille would get bored like she always does and then she'd kill him.

"I want my dad," Simon looked kind of out of it but all Raphael could think was 'me too kid'. Which is precisely when the idea came to him. He's already getting out his phone when he realizes that Simon would most likely babble about him the moment Camille returned for another bite.

He winced as he turned to the kid and softly, with his hard hovering close to Simon's face, he commanded him to not mention him to Camille. The boy hummed in agreement as his mind finally collapsed under the mental strain and he succumbed to sleep.

With that taken care of and his scent being masked by the stench of urine he makes his way out. Remembering to lock the door despite the little twinge in his heart when he does it.

He's in his room before he even dares to look at his phone again. It must have been 20 years since he'd last seen him. Maybe even longer. Maybe he'd changed his number since then.

Couldn't knock it till he tried it.

He clicks on the call button. The phone doesn't even ring twice before a 'click' sounds.

"Raphael to what do I owe this pleasure?" The voice of Magnus Bane reaches his ears. For a second he regrets calling until he forces himself to focus.

"Why can't I just call without an ulterior motive?"Raphael snarks back without really meaning to. It felt natural to do so but he really shouldn't be joking at the moment.

"Children never call without a reason these days."Magnus answers nonchalantly. 

"I'd love to catch up with you sometime this month dad but you're right. Camille messed up again,"Raphael lets himself fall on his bed and closes his eyes as he feels the headache that had slowly disappeared sneaking up to him again.

"Oh it must be a big one if you're calling me for it nino"The tone with which Magnus said this sounded teasing but Raphael who'd known Magnus for his whole Vampire life, could hear the concern in those words.

"She kidnapped a mundane kid who is now living in our basement and is feeding from him,"He was always blunt about these sort of things. Sugarcoating would do him no good if Magnus didn't understand the severity of the situation.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Help me break him out of here."


	5. Sparkles and sunshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus takes a late call and puts his own safety in the line to get his son out of a tricky situation,  
> Now what to do with this scared mundane kid in his living room....

It's close to midnight when Magnus receives the call. For a second he thinks he must have been drinking more than he thought because there was no way in hell that Raphael would willingly call him

It had been close to 23 years since they'd last spoken to each other. Raphael had been elected 2nd in command in the clan and suddenly he was to busy to spare a moment for his old man.

Not that Magnus was really hurt by this. Immortality had a way of making years seem like days and he hadn't even noticed himself until the name 'nino' flashed up on the screen of his phone.

"Raphael to what do i owe this pleasure? ," he had answered. Beginning their usual banter as if they'd spoken just yesterday.

"Why can't I just call without an ulterior motive?"Raphael replied.But Magnus could easily hear the strain in his voice.

They both realized it'd been a long while since they talked.

"Children never call without a reason these days" Magnus reasons, and it's true. The kids he'd fostered only came back to him lately when they needed him for something. Some days he wishes his heart wasn't so big and that he would just stop adopting every stay downworlder that crossed his path.

"I'd love to catch up with you sometime this month dad but you're right. Camille messed up again,"At least Raphael was honest about it. And he's basically promised a meet up in that sentence so hopefully this wouldn't be the only time Magnus heard from his son for the next decade.

"Oh it must be a big one if you're calling me for it nino"he teased. He knew this must be serious. Raphael had always prided himself on being able to fix his problems on his own. If Camille had screwed up enough that Raphael was reaching out for help then it must be catastrophic.

"She kidnapped a mundane kid who is now living in our basement and is feeding from him," oh, yeah that would do it. Magnus closes his eyes. Already exasperated with Camille through the means of one simple sentence.

"What do you want me to do?"He asks tiredly. Raphael wouldn't call him without some sort of plan. His son was smarter than that. Magnus prided himself of raising him to think for himself.

"Help me break him out of here." That sounded a lot easier then he knew it would be. The hotel Dumort didn't seem very guarded on the outside until you tried to break in. Magnus had tried on many different occasions. Sometimes to check on his then young downworlder son and other times when he was still in a complicated relationship with Camille.

"How?" He asked, because he had no idea how he's manage to sneak inside undetected and steal Camille's new obsession from under her nose without her finding out it was him and declaring a war against all warlocks.

"You portal in, take him away from here and i make some excuse about broken locks." The idea seemed like a suicide mission when said like that. Raphael sounded to tired to care and Magnus couldn't really blame him. He knew for a fact that Camille had a tendency to drain the life from the people around her.

"How about you come over tomorrow and work out something that won't get us both killed?" He tries to keep the amusement from his voice because this is a very serious situation but all he can see in front if him is a groggy 18 year old Raphael who's only been a vampire for roughly a year, complaining about never getting enough sleep.

"Sounds good, i'll make lily take over from me for a while.... goodnight dad"

"Goodnight nino"  
\----------

Magnus doesn't get much sleep after that. His mind stuck in the past and in all the things he could have done. It's no surprise that instead of the next night, he hears a knock on the door early enough in the morning for it to still be dark out.

6:24 am,the clock on his nightstand reads. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to sleep either way Magnus reluctantly stands up from his bed and makes his way over to the main living area. With a snap of his fingers all the blinds in his apartment close tightly. The front door flies open with a bang once all the windows had disappeared behind their respective curtains.

Raphael stands in the doorway, looking just as stressed and confused as Magnus feels and for a split second Magnus is sure it's 1932 and the man in front of him had just turned into a monster and killed his best friend. Raphael looks exactly like he did then. Red tears pooling in his eyes, wearing worn clothes as if it's the only thing he owns and looking like he'd jump in front of the first open window if he saw it.

He doesn't need to say anything as he reaches out and takes the man into his embrace. 

Raphael normally isn't the hug type, he prides himself on the fact that he's been emotionally unreachable for 50 years, but this situation had brought memories to the surface that neither of them had ever wanted to revisit again.

Simon's situation was way to close to what Raphael went through when he was a teenager. He never wanted to think back about those times and he couldn't let the same thing happen to a kid who is less than half the age he was.

After a while of just standing there the two separated and started to plan.

In the end it was fairly simple.

They hadn't needed to come up with an over complicated scheme that would have taken forever to put into motion, for that Magnus was glad. He was a man that loved dramatics but this situation didn't call for that kind of flair. 

It was that same night, after Raphael had returned to the hotel, that Magnus opened a portal to the back of the hotel Dumort. Lily, who had been informed by Raphael at some point between leaving Magnus' loft and his arrival at the Dumort, had been chosen to guard the back door.

Some loud talking about loving the fact that she finally had some time for herself since Raphael relieved her of guarding duty was all it took to make Camille put Lily on duty again.

The two immortals shared a nod and Magnus couldn't help but feel a swirl of excitement in his veins as he started his planned out trek to the basement.

Raphael was currently boring Camille with 'important Clave matters' and with some strings pulled on Magnus' side he actually had a shadowhunter on the line so that Camille couldn't just up and leave.

The shadowhunter would take pleasure in putting Camille in her place, Raphael would cherish the look on her face and Magnus would have just enough time to slip in and out of the hotel.

That's exactly what happens too, Magnus is able to slip into the basement unnoticed and notes with some satisfaction that this is a breach Camille hadn't counted on.

He reaches the door that Raphael describes and with a flourish he opens the door. On the floor, looking up at the ceiling as if it's the most interesting thing in the world, is what must be a 5 year old boy. Magnus had hoped in just a tiny fraction of his mind that when Raphael had said 'kid' he had meant teenager. 

The kid doesn't even look up as Magnus enters, probably still high on Camille's venom. With a tired sigh Magnus steps forward and crouches next to the boy.

"Simon right? Raphael told me all about you. My name is Magnus Bane," the warlock tells the little boy, the only response he receives is a delayed giggle and before he can start to work up a serious headache he scoops the boy in his arms.

As if a switch is flipped Simon's whole body goes stiff with fear and Magnus really wished he didn't have to manhandle the child in a time like this but knew that he was on a time limit.

"I'm taking you away from here." is the only explanation Magnus can give while focusing on opening a portal home. If he'd been in the hotel's basement before this entire ordeal could have gone a whole lot smoother. But Camille had never been the kinky sex dungeon type and Raphael had always made meetings outside of the hotel.

Finally a swirling purple portal started to open and Magnus sighed in relief. They were going to be fine.

"I don't care Raphael! Just deal with it like you always do!" Magnus felt his body still along with Simon's. Camille was coming this way. 

As if the whole building had suddenly burst into flame Magnus leaped through the portal. Just managing to hear Raphael reply with an annoyed :"you know I can't do that, what are we doing down here anyway? it smells like rat piss." before the portal disappeared.

Leaving Magnus in his own living room with a scared mundane kid who seemed to be in the middle of a panic attack. Quite abruptly he came to the realization that he had absolutely no idea what he was going to do with this kid now that he'd saved him.

Magnus set the boy down on his fluffy white couch and tried really hard to ignore the bandages that covered the boy's right wrist.

He had to help this kid calm down first, that was probably a good idea. How is it that he suddenly forgot how to help people who are having a panic attack?

He should probably tell the kid to breathe or something, maybe get a glass of water or-

A glint of red caught Magnus' eye and for a second he though the kid was bleeding until he took a closer look at Simon's left wrist and took in the sight of an eerily familiar bracelet.

"Shit"


	6. The serpent that ruled the sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus realizes he has a warlock child in his hands and Simon gets a lesson in ancient mythology.

He hadn't seen a bracelet like that in centuries. The last one had belonged to a friend of his in the late 1780's who he had assumed was a normal mundane woman until she saved him from an angry group of rouge shadowhunters with a well placed portal and some low key impressive shows of magic.

She had told him it was a family heirloom, something given from their father. Each child had one.

After she got killed he assumed he'd never see one again. But there it was. On the wrist of a distressed boy who was gasping so loudly Magnus thought Camille would be able to hear him all the way from across town.

He stopped looking at the bracelet and focused back on Simon. Very slowly and carefully he took both of Simon's hands in his to stop him from pulling his hair out. The boy looked up at him and for a moment Magnus saw nothing but fear in those eyes. Fear and longing. If Magnus could kill Camille without a full on war breaking out between vampires and warlocks he'd do it in a heartbeat.

No child should feel such fear.

"It's okay Simon, you're safe now. Camille cannot get to you here." and there it was, that reluctant relief. Because everything inside of Simon would be screaming for Camille but he knew in his head that he didn't really want her to do those things.

Slowly, very slowly, Simon's breathing starts evening out. The panic he'd felt starts to disappear and for a moment the pair just sit there. Magnus feeling exhausted from the very long day and Simon struggling to understand all of these conflicted feelings.

"How old are you?" Magnus dares to ask. He doesn't want to know,he knows he doesn't want to know because knowing would be worse. But he needs to know. 

Simon looks hesitant for a while, as if telling Magnus his age would make him portal them back to deliver him to Camille again. It's the curiosity of the magic he'd seen that makes Simon answer, figuring that if he told the wizard something about himself then the wizard might consider doing magic again.

"Seven." 

It's not a very detailed answer but it seems to be enough as it causes the magic man to inhale loudly and close his eyes. Simon thinks he did something wrong because the man stays like that for a minute but eventually he starts breathing again and opens his eyes.

The man looks really sad and Simon can't help but think back to the time Camille told him about his family being dead.

"I forgot your name," Simon admits sheepishly, he doesn't want to spend the rest of the night calling his savior 'the man' in his head. 

"That's alright, I can't imagine how scared you must have been.... my name is Magnus Bane,"he starts, watching for any kind of reaction and mentally preparing for a very long night when he doesn't get anything other than a look of acknowledgement. "My son Raphael came to me to help you escape." Magnus continues,figuring that Simon hadn't remembered that part either.

Saying Raphael's name seems to pique Simon's interest. As if he'd expected to never hear of the other man again. "Your son?" he questions quietly and Magnus can't help the smile that spreads across his face.

"Yes my son, I adopted Raphael when he was struggling 80 years ago,"Something about his words make Simon freeze up again. The child takes a moment to look at Magnus as if he's searching for something. Seeming to become confused when he doesn't find what he's looking for.

"Are you-" Simon takes a moment to think about how to word his question. This was another one of those 'if he messes up he might be in danger' situations but Simon is also a kid so he bluntly continues his question "Are you like her?"

Magnus forces himself to chuckle despite the fact that an immense wave of sadness crashes over him at the question. This kid shouldn't have to ask things like that with so much fear in his voice that he was practically shaking.

"No,"he starts, pressure in his chest doubling at the relief that floods Simon's eyes "I'm a warlock, practitioner of magic, not a vampire. The only thing me and Camille have in common is our Immortality" 'and our past relationship' he ads quietly in his head. No need for Simon to start freaking out about something like that.

"Cool, you can do magic?" there was the childlike joy that Magnus adored about children that age. His eyes are drawn back to the bracelet on Simon's wrist.

"Yes I can," To prove his point he summons a box of tissues and holds them out for Simon to use. The 7 year old gratefully grabs some with a look of wonder in his eyes. After he blows his nose and wipes away his tears Magnus vanishes the tissues and smiles when it draws a silent 'whoa' out of the boy in front of him.

"And so can you." he continues. If hadn't had Simon's full attention he surely had it now with the boy's big brown eyes staring up at him in surprise.

"Who gave you that bracelet poppet?" Magnus questioned before Simon could get a word of excitement out. Immediately he deflated a little and carefully cradled the wrist with the bracelet on it. 

"My mom..... she gave it to me and promised my sister Rebecca one for her own birthday before-" whatever Simon was about to say was cut off with a sob and suddenly Magnus understood why nobody had gone looking for this kid. There was probably nobody left to look.

"Hey it's okay." Simon looks up at him through tear filled eyes and starts talking again. "My mom didn't even see the other car coming! we were just going to the comic-book store I-" another sob interrupts him and Magnus re-summons the tissue box.

"She said my dad gave it to her before he died, He um- There were some burglars who broke into our home and dad fought them off but we em, we found him,"Simon isn't looking at him anymore but Magnus doesn't need to see his face to see that he's in pain.

He reaches out and takes the bracelet sporting wrist in his hands. Simon follows the movement but doesn't try to pull away.

"It's a relic," Magnus starts, knowing that all of this would be a lot to take in. "The people in your family pass them around when a new baby is born. Usually that isn't often and I personally hadn't heard of an addition to the family since 1786"

It's in this moment that Magnus truly realizes that this kid knows absolutely nothing of the downworld. With a sigh, something he'd been doing way to much over the last 2 days and wholly blamed on Raphael, he stood and tugged on Simon's wrist.

"Come on, let's continue this in the kitchen. I'll make you a snack and a nice cup of hot chocolate, how does that sound?" Just talking about the prospect of food made Simon's stomach rumble in delight and Magnus spared the kid by pretending to not see his cheeks turning blood red in shame.

He leads Simon through his loft and only lets go of the kid's wrist once he's sitting at the kitchen island. He starts walking around the kitchen to gather the ingredients for an omelette, knowing full well that he could just magic one from Paris if he really wanted to. But he needed to do something with his hands. Fidgeting was unbecoming for a man his age.

"To be born a warlock one of your parents has to have been a demon," Magnus explains as he starts to whisk the eggs. Simon pulls a face at that statement and Magnus knows that information would be a lot to process. "I know that in your family, it was your father,"

This draws out more of a reaction. Simon opens his mouth to protest but Magnus holds up a hand that silences him immediately. He stops whisking for a second to look at the boy. He was pulling at the hem of his tattered shirt and with a dramatic sigh Magnus snaps his fingers and vanishes the clothes from Simon, replacing them just as fast with his own (shrunken down) bathrobe and slippers.

Simon startles for a second before marveling at the soft silk robes.

"His name is Leviathan. He's described in mythology as the serpent the ruled the sea" The warlock starts up his explanation again. Hoping that Simon doesn't try to interrupt him again. He pours the mixture he's holding into an awaiting pan and takes a moment to breathe in the delicious smell.

"I only know this because I met one of his daughters once and she told me some about him, according to her he was the only demon who bothered to stick around" To this Simon nodded. If he had to accept his dad was a demon then at least he could agree on the fact that he was there for them despite of it.

"So he was a demon.... then why didn't he defend himself?" Simon's voice sounded bitter and Magnus got the feeling. A lot of the feelings one experienced when a loved one died was anger and bitterness. It never really went away.

"Alice told me he was extremely weak on earth. He must have basically been human. I think I remember her telling me that he even lived and died like humans and that it took centuries to build up enough energy to return to earth. That's why it's rare to have a new child in you family."Magnus explains as he serves a large part of the omelette he made on a plate and hands it over to Simon. Summoning a glass orange juice to drink with it.

"If demons are real are angels too?" Oh boy he was not at all prepared to have that conversation so soon. Magnus watches in amusement as Simon starts digging into the food like a man on a mission.

"Oh poppet, all the legends are true"


	7. Of magic and monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon has more questions and Magnus really hates the word 'why'.

"Oh poppet, all the legends are true"

That seemed to shut up Simon for exactly 2 seconds before Magnus saw the cogs in his head start to turn.

"All of the legends or just most of them? Because my sister got really obsessed with mythology last year and she kept talking about gross stories with a god named Zeus turning into animal and-" Simon cuts himself off before he can finish that thought and his cheeks burn bright red again.

His mom had drunken a lot more then she usually did one evening months after his dad died and explained a bit to much about how babies were actually made. Simon had not wanted to know any of that until he was at least as old as Becky but his mother hadn't really cared.

Magnus allowed himself to let out a loud laugh and relaxed a bit against the counter.

He liked this kid.

"No not Zeus, but God?yeah. Angels too" Magnus allowed. Knowing that Simon wouldn't just give up the subject. Magnus himself hadn't let the woman who'd introduced him to the downworld rest until she'd answered all of his questions either.

"So I can do magic, Angels are real and all the legends are true.....," Simon quietly shook his head as if he didn't believe Magnus.

"If... if me and my sister-" the child flinched into himself for mentioning her. "If we can do magic then..... why haven't I? Isn't it like in harry potter? I read all of those books up until the last one that came out and they always talk about accidentally doing magic" Simon nodded to himself after he said this, as if he was satisfied with how he worded the question. For a short while Magnus pondered this.

It wasn't unusual to accidentally cause magic, even in a warlock's adult life. Magic usually reacted mostly on emotion and as children those are heightened to an enormous extent.

"I think that you have another way of controlling it, like myself," Magnus tried to explain, he hadn't really done magic until he was 4 and his mother- the point being that it wasn't his emotions that triggered them.

"Most warlocks' magic are tied to their emotions, it's because of this that it can take years for one to master control over such power"

Simon was giving him his full attention again, what was left over of his omelette lay forgotten on his plate and Magnus resisted the urge to just snap it away.

"Some warlocks however, don't have such a tie to their emotions, usually this is because they experience a very strong emotion in the early years of their life, grief." Magnus was aware that his voice became more heavy at the end. It had always been hard to explain such things.  
Simon flinched again at the reminder and brought his legs up to his chest, eyes not leaving the other warlock.

"Magic is an extension of the body and mind. It acts like an extra limb. If the mind becomes traumatized by emotions like that at an early age it sort of blocks the path between your magic and your emotions," Magnus explained, Simon probably understood only half of what he was saying but still had the decency to nod as if he knew what Magnus was talking about.

"So your magic adapts," The warlock continues. With a wave of his hand he summons a small piece of his magic. A light purple glow comes to life in the palm of his hand. Simon moves forward eagerly as he twirls the glow between his fingertips.

"My own magic shifted to my love for jewelry, I started channeling my magic through the pieces I owned when I wore them. This is mostly because I had my mother's wedding ring to help me. Many warlocks are jealous of that kind of power since it cannot be taught."Magnus explained. The glow between his fingers finally dying down as he put his hands on the counter and looked at the boy in front of him.

"I can help you look for your 'thing', It might be best if you remained here.... that is assuming-and I'm sorry to ask but, do you have any family left?" Pain overtook Simon's features again and Magnus knew without the boy even having to say it that he did not.

"Then if you want to,you can stay here"

This was a very bad idea. Magnus was horrible with kids. All the strays he had adopted had at least been old enough to take care of themselves and he had no idea how he would balance his usual lifestyle with being a dad on top of it.

He couldn't just send the kid away though. Not only was he a warlock,thus falling under Magnus' protection , he was also a target to Camille who would probably stop at nothing to get back what she thought was hers.

"I- I don't know" Simon answered after a minute of silence. Which was to be expected. Magnus would frankly be worried if the kid just agreed on the spot. He was 7 ,not stupid.

"How about you sleep on it?,"Magnus suggested,deciding to ignore how Simon visibly sagged at his words either at the idea of sleep or the idea that Magnus wouldn't force him into anything.

It's exactly 30 minutes later when Magnus can finally relax. He had, for now, put Simon in the guest room. It wasn't exactly made for a child that age but Simon hadn't seemed to mind as he'd taken Magnus' advice of a shower and had fallen asleep unto the bed immediately after.

After that he'd had a quick call with Raphael in which he barely said anything other then 'he's fine' and a date of when the vampire should come to visit.

Now Magnus could finally relax.

\----

The rest of the week is rough. Simon's body coming down with the flu as a way of shaking the venom out of his system. The moments he's somewhat coherent are spent as some sort of history lessons. After the third day Magnus finally broaches the subject of shadowhunters.

The 'why?' questions are the hardest to answer and Magnus feels guilty about the relief that floods him whenever Simon falls back asleep. The genuine confusion about why shadowhunters would do things like that,why downworlders were looked down upon,why why why why.

It was exhausting to answer those questions and to see the light in the little boy's eyes dim a little every time when the subject was brought up again. The knowledge of what went on between downworlders among each other and shadowhunters was a burden that many chose to ignore. But Magnus would be damned if he let this kid walk out there without being properly informed even if he did decide he didn't want to stay with Magnus.

They hadn't had the time to talk about that yet. Between Simon's curiosity and his sickness Magnus hadn't felt the need to question the boy again. 

Simon himself had been thinking about it in the moments where he was alone. He still wasn't really sure what to do. He knew he had nowhere he could go and the magic he'd seen Magnus perform made him sure that the warlock would be able to keep him safe. But still..... it just, it was a big decision to make.

It's another week before Simon is well enough to get out of bed. Coincidentally it's the same day that Magnus and Raphael had agreed to meet up.

The first part of the day is spent outside of the apartment. It takes a while for Simon to let go of Magnus' arm but once he does they have a good time.

Magnus, having been sick of summoning clothes for Simon, offered to go shopping. This is about the same time when Simon sheepishly tells the warlock he's in need of a pair of glasses.

A whole new wardrobe later and a visit to a warlock optician who lived just around the block and owed Magnus a favor, Simon was now sitting in the room he's been sleeping in.

He sported a new pair of glasses that made the eyes aware of glamours,like looking through them.

10 minutes earlier Magnus had asked Simon to go to his room, this was mostly for Simon since neither knew how he's react to the presence of a vampire.

So Simon was content to sit in this room. Magnus had slipped up earlier, calling it 'his' room and Simon wouldn't lie and say that a warm feeling hadn't shot through him at that.

He realized with a start that he really wanted to live here. Magnus was kind and Simon had heard horror stories about what went on in orphanages. The older warlock was safe and he was willing to teach Simon magic.

With that settled the boy started to fidget. He wanted to sing but he wasn't sure if he could make sound during the meeting. Magnus would have said something right?

With his mind made up Simon settled at the foot of the bed on the floor and thought about what he wanted to sing. He hadn't been taught a lot of songs yet and he knew even less from the top of his head.

He settled on Rebecca's favorite song. Feeling bittersweet as he softly hums the beginning to Like real people do by Hozier.

The song itself fit his voice pretty well. Still high from youth he's able to hit all the high notes with ease and he just wishes he had music leading him.

It's like a switch is flipped in his body and suddenly everything feels warm. Simon's eyes snap open from where they had closed on their own and he stared in shock at the swirls of bright orange that lazily drifted around him.

"MAGNUS!"


	8. Fragments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some fragments of Simon's life between the ages of 7 till 12.

Most of the days after Simon finds his 'thing' are a blur. He meets Raphael again in the most unbecoming way. Curled up on the bed with orange lights circling him, looking terrified.

Magnus was ecstatic. He'd been smiling for a while after and Simon felt that warm feeling swell up inside him when he realized why the other warlock was smiling like that. He was proud of him. The feeling only doubled when Simon admitted he wanted to stay with Magnus.

It's 2 days later before Simon can summon his magic again. They'd tried different kinds of music, listening to it, playing guitar ( what Simon could play for his age) and other instruments he could vaguely remember how to play. None quite had the effect his voice had.

He'd turned Magnus' hair neon blue when he'd played a song on his guitar but any other instruments hadn't really sparked in his fingers. Magnus called it a work in progress but Simon was just glad he could do magic at all. He hadn't fully believed Magnus when the older man had told him he was a warlock.

He couldn't really ignore it now.

Once he'd mastered making the glow of his magic manifest in his hands by humming softly Magnus had pulled out a whole stack of books that Simon was both eager for and dreaded to read.

It was around that same time that he and Magnus started talking about warlock marks. They held some sort of history lessons every evening. Sometimes it was spent actually going over Historic events from the shadowworld's point of view but most of the time Simon and Magnus got caught up discussing different species of downworlders.

This time, after Simon had finished a fairly thin book about warlock traditions that went way over his head, Magnus had broached the subject of warlock marks. It was with some reluctance that he'd shown Simon his eyes. Something that the boy found so cool he'd asked Magnus to not hide them anymore.

The warlock hadn't been able to say no to that pleading look. He scanned Simon with his now cat eyes, gaze immediately draw to the bracelet again.

"If you want to find out what your warlock mark is you'll have to take it off," Magnus reminded Simon, knowing full well that the boy knew what he meant. The warlock in training looked solemnly down at his wrist eyes avoiding the two circular scars on his other arm.

With an over dramatic deep breath in ,Simon closed his eyes and tugged at the clasp of the bracelet ,shivering as a thick warm fog that had settled over him without him being aware of it lifted from his body. 

He didn't immediately feel much different until he dared to open his eyes. Everything looked so much more vibrant and clear, It almost hurt. Magnus gasped softly as he saw Simon's eyes.

The irises themselves had extended to cover most of the eye, leaving only some white. His pupils had transformed into something kind of cat-like but almost as soon as that thought crosses Magnus' mind he realizes that it's snake eyes that he's looking at. Which he should have guesses.

With a flick of his wrist Magnus summons a mirror and quietly hands it over to Simon. The boy startles for a second at seeing his appearance but soon a grin spreads across his face. This in turn reveals two shortish fangs. 

Not 5 seconds later Simon is clasping his bracelet back into place.

Neither of them talk about the panic that had surged through Simon at the sight of himself with fangs. And if it takes a full year before Simon walks around the apartment without his glamour on. Well then Magnus doesn't say anything.

\-------

It's about 8 months after Simon came to live at Magnus' when it happens. To be fair Magnus had warned him that people were coming over but Simon hadn't really been paying attention because he'd been focused on keeping a pile of books floating without audibly using his voice.

And now here he was. He'd rushed into the living room to show the man he'd managed to summon a peacock feather like he'd asked only to almost run into a person that was most definitely not Magnus.

The man who he had run into was way bigger then Magnus could ever dream to be and had horns coming out of his head. Simon was completely and utterly confused.

"What are you doing in here little guy? Got lost?" The man looked decidedly uncomfortable and Simon vaguely remembered that Magnus had told him nobody would know he was a warlock until he removed his glamour.

"Erm no.... Are you?"Was all Simon managed to reply. There was a stranger in their house who probably thought he was a mundane and Magnus was nowhere to be seen.

The man laughed brightly and straightened from where he'd hunched over slightly to talk to Simon. He still looked uncomfortable and Simon realized with a start that this stranger probably though he'd wandered in here on accident.

"I live here," Simon tried to specify but the stranger only scoffed as if he didn't believe him for a second. Simon shuffled awkwardly on his feet. What the hell was he supposed to do? It wasn't like he had a certificate that said he lived there, and he couldn't just-

Oh my god he needed to stop thinking like a mundane.

With a soft hum Simon subtly pushes the stranger to the side with his magic and darts to the kitchen. He heard a disgruntled sound from behind him but opts to ignore it when he sees Magnus in the kitchen making tea. A strange woman with bright blue skin sat at the kitchen table and said something that makes Mag laugh loudly.

All panic Simon felt fled instantly. His cheeks and ears burning in embarrassment as he realized that Magnus must have guests over.

"I erm.... I did it," Simon start, hoping that the other stranger wouldn't say anything once he rejoined them. The young warlock holds up the beautiful peacock feather and feels his embarrassment worsen when Magnus smiles brightly at him and leaves his guest to admire the feather up close.

"And who's this Magnus?" The woman at the kitchen table stands up and wanders closer, "I'd like to know as well,"A voice behind them booms and Simon can't stop the way he winces.

"This is Simon, He's my-" The warlock cuts himself off abruptly and both him and Simon stare at each other for a while. They hadn't really talked about any of those things. It's his quick decision making that saves them all from a very awkward long silence.

"-Son."He finishes. Sending Magnus a very tentative smile which the warlock returns.

They would talk about that once their guests left. It would be a conversation filled with tears and tissues that left both warlocks exhausted.

Magnus tucks Simon into his bed and smiles softly as he brushes the child's hair out of eyes.

"Goodnight Segar"Magnus says lovingly, getting up from the bed and making his way out of Simon's bedroom

"Goodnight dad"

They both have the best night of sleep they've ever had that night.

\------------

3 weeks after a spectacular 8th birthday Simon feels bored. Raphael had been trying to teach him Spanish for the better part of 2 hours and Simon was just not getting it. He desperately wanted to learn. It was important to Raphael so it was important to him. 

That hadn't always been the mindset between the two. Simon had taken a good chunk of time accepting that not all vampires were like Camille and an even larger chunk of time to get Raphael to like him.

It had taken exactly 2 weeks of complaining about how uncultured Raphael was to get him to agree to watch all the Marvel movies with him and another 5 days before the vampire had reluctantly told him he had liked them.

Now Simon would get them a new show or movie series to watch every few weeks and they'd meet up a couple of nights a week to watch them.

Simon wasn't stupid, he knew Mag used those moments to go out and have fun. The man couldn't be expected to let go of his lifestyle entirely and who would say no to a free babysitter?

But now Simon was bored out of his mind and he wanted to do something.

When he said so to Raphael the vampire gave a long dejected sigh but Simon could tell he wasn't really that reluctant about it by the corners of his mouth that had tilted up.

That's how they ended up playing hide and seek. Which quickly became more and more interesting once Raphael started using his vampyric senses and Simon started trying to mask his scent and heartbeat with his magic.

Raphael still caught him a bunch of times but at least they were having fun. After their 23rd round Raphael finally called it quits and turned on the TV on which the second harry potter movie was paused. Simon falls asleep before Harry enters the chamber of secrets and Magnus finds the pair curled upon the couch together.

He snaps a picture and covers them with a blanket.

His two sons getting along. Truly something to remember.

\------

Simon still gets nightmares sometimes. Even 3 years after Camille he can still hear her voice in his dreams. Some days she's everywhere, even when he's awake.

Magnus called it trauma. He said that what happened with Camille at the hotel had done something to his mind that only time, a lot of healthy coping mechanisms and talking would heal.

He always comforts him. Even when Simon thinks he's finally lost his mind. The older warlock always takes him into his arms and holds on until Simon feels like he can breathe again.

He's walking to Mag's bedroom at 4:35 am with that thought in his head. He wouldn't mind right?

Quietly he opens the door to his dad's bedroom and slips inside. The 10-year-old shuffles over to the bed and hesitantly climbs on.

"Simon?" 

Simon stills for a second but eventually he continues to worm himself under the blanket and nods,knowing that the older man could see him if he was looking.

"Another nightmare?" Magnus shifted to look at Simon just as the boy nods again. He hears the warlock sigh and thinks that maybe he'll be angry but all that happens is the Magnus pulls him to his chest and starts softly running his fingers through his hair.

"Get some sleep Segar" Magnus softly murmurs. Simon can only hum in response,already half -asleep.

________________

Magnus and Raphael were fighting.

Simon was turning 12 today and Magnus and Raphael had started a screaming match over something Simon didn't understand.

He'd left them to their argument and settled on the terrace outside. Their fluffy cat, chairman meow ,had been relaxing out in the warm afternoon sun but as if she felt his sadness she got up and curled up on his lap.

Tears started streaming down his face and Simon felt stupid. He shouldn't be crying over this. It's just his birthday, sure they had celebrated it before but it's not like it was a requirement.

Plus Simon had heard the words 'The Accords' drop. This was important business.

That didn't stop it from hurting. 

It's another hour before the yelling stops. Simon hadn't moved from his spot despite the fact that the afternoon sun had disappeared and it started to get cold. He refused to go back inside because he knew just looking at the pair he called his family would make him spiral again.

They find him anyway and Simon has to bite his lip really hard to keep himself from crying. Both adults see right through him however, Raphael quietly drapes a big fluffy blanket over his shoulders and Magnus gently takes Chairman Meow off Simon's lap so that he can hug the child without crushing her.

"We're sorry"

That's enough to break him and Simon dissolves into a sobbing mess.

They sit together like that for a while, a small family made up from different broken parts.

Simon says that's his favorite birthday for many years to come.


	9. The amazingly awesome Clary Fray

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Simon has a nightmare and ends up meeting Clary and Jocelyn again after all this time. Magnus needs a drink.

Simon has another nightmare. He's 12 years old but can't help it when he automatically gets out of bed to search for Magnus.

The warlock had never turned him away before and even though it had been a solid 3 months since Simon had a nightmare he's still pretty sure that that hadn't changed.

The young warlock silently walks across the living room towards Magnus' study. It was a rarity to find the man in bed,even at ungodly hours.

Simon wasn't exactly sure when the man slept but he hadn't collapsed on him yet so he guesses the older warlock got some rest between working sprees.

An orange glow shines from under the door of the study and for a moment Simon ponders if he should maybe go back to bed.

Two voices sound at the other side of the door. The 12 year old realizes that Magnus must have a client in his office.

Knowing that he shouldn't bother the man when he was making business Simon turns around to leave when the door creaks open behind him.

A tall red-haired woman comes walking out with a similarly haired girl walking just behind her. Simon freezes up when he recognizes them.

"Clary?" His voice sounds really rough and he realizes he must have been screaming in his sleep. Luckily Magnus had put some sort of silencing spell on his room. Mostly because both knew he'd be embarrassed if Magnus were to come running thinking he was in danger.

The little girl in front of him, probably 12 like him now though he can't be sure, looks startled at the sight of him.

Behind the pair Magnus let out a very loud tired groan. All eyes snap to the man who was already rubbing his temples.

"Another nightmare Segar?" Magnus asks, ignoring their guests for a moment to focus on his charge. Simon glances uneasily at the pair again before hesitantly nodding.

"I knew you wouldn't be in your room," he starts, voice wavering when Clary burst into tears and reached for him, Jocelyn barely holding her back.

"Dad what are they doing here?"It wasn't necessarily a harsh tone in which he said this. More confused and desperately trying not to cry.

Magnus turned towards Jocelyn and without a word put a hand on her lower back, leading the small group towards the couches.

Once everybody was seated,Jocelyn unable to prevent Clary from launching herself at Simon ,the young pair hugged.

Magnus summoned himself a glass of scotch and with a second though, summoned one for Jocelyn as well.

The woman took the glass, wearily keeping her eyes on their children who had gone from hugging to holding one another by the arms and excitedly whispering to each other.

"I see you know my son," Magnus starts. He had been desperately hoping for the night to end by the time Jocelyn had taken Clary by the hand to lead her to the "extraction" room as he liked to call it.

Meeting Simon on the way and discovering the Clary his son had spoken so fondly of was actually one of his clients.... let's just say that the night seemed endless.

Jocelyn stiffens again just as she did when Simon had called him dad.

"He was my daughter's best friend from the age of 2 till 7," Jocelyn explains after a pregnant silence. Magnus hums in acknowledgement and looks back over at Simon and Clary. They had ceased speaking but basically lay curled up in each other.

"I don't suppose you know what really happened?," Magnus asks quietly, heart painfully squeezing in his chest when Simon flinches.

"Si, how about you show Clary your room while I talk to her m-?"Magnus smiles as Simon shoots from the couch tugging Clary behind him before he can even finish.

Jocelyn follows them with her eyes until the two disappear into Simon's room. She turns back towards the old warlock and both stare at one another for a second.

"I'm sure you are aware that Simon's family died in a car crash," he starts,hoping that Simon stays distracted enough to not return at any point of his explanation. Though they had talked about everything Simon still got easily thrown into panic attacks at the reminder.

Jocelyn nods with a grave expression on her face. Magnus takes a short moment to recollect his thoughts.

"Camille Belcourt was behind that crash, she kidnapped and drank from Simon for 2 whole weeks before the second in command to the New York clan, my son, Raphael Santiago found out about it and came to me for help," Magnus continues, some sick sort of relief flooding him when he sees the clear surprise and shock flooding Jocelyn's features.

He didn't think her capable of setting up something like this to protect her daughter from the influence of a warlock child but it didn't hurt to be safe.

"I rescued him and when I brought him to my home I discovered he is a warlock child," almost as soon as those words leave his mouth Jocelyn is on her feet. He grabs her wrist tightly to keep her from barging into his son's bedroom and traumatizing both him and her own daughter.

"If you hurt a hair on his head I will never help you again. Do you understand? Now sit." Anger climbed it's way up Magnus' throat and he did his best to force it back down.

He forces Jocelyn back unto the couch and looks her long and hard in the eyes.

"We are not monsters you need to protect your daughter from Jocelyn. Simon is my son in everything but blood. I know for a fact that he misses Clary even after all this time and if I had know that his Clary is yours I would not have hesitated to reintroduce them."Okay so maybe isn't as successful in pushing his anger down as he thought he is. But he hadn't torn her throat out yet so he calls that a win.

"I have to protect her," is all Jocelyn gives as clarification and for the first time since she had said that to him he understands. With a son of his own he understands full well the full body fear that courses through a person when their child is in danger.

"And I have to protect him," he answers with as much cool as he can muster. Something in his words must hit a soft spot because the next thing he knows the ex-shadowhunter is sagging in exhaustion in a way that he had never seen her do before.

"They'll want to see each other again," she says , voice heavy with fatigue. He hums in agreement,finally sipping his drink. He enjoys the burn in his throat for a second before he rights himself and places a hand on Jocelyn's knee.

"He knows how to act like a mundane. They can still be friends, you'll have a better excuse as to why you need to come here and the only things I'll have to erase are the possible slip ups and supernatural encounters." Magnus carefully proposes. He knows that this would be the perfect opportunity to get Simon to make friends.

His 12 year old son went to a local school but hadn't made any real friends yet. None of them could know about the magic in the world which immediately eliminated Simon's favorite subject. Music and Comic books were two varied subjects that no other 12 year old really liked.

The chance to have that friendship again. It might help Simon with his remaining trauma.

"I'll pose as a herbal doctor and collector as I do in the mundane world, Simon's story so far is that he was kidnapped by a children-slavery organization and was hurt so badly that they dropped him somewhere. My eldest son Raphael found him in an alley not far from the hotel he works at and brought him to me," The warlock tells her , their cover story to get Simon into a proper mundane school had taken a long time to formulate. They had to go through a lot of falsified papers to make both him and his sons not dead.

Jocelyn worried her lip for a minute before finally giving up with a soft sigh.

"Protecting her also means giving her things that I wouldn't normally allow to make her happy...." She finally allows. Magnus instantly feels elated.

"Let's go get them."

Simon gets the full explanation of what will happen to Clary every few months. Magnus can tell he doesn't really agree but if his dad told him it was the right thing to do then he trusted him.

That same night Magnus erases all Clary's memories of the unnatural things she had seen since the last time they'd met. He feels a mix of guilt and satisfaction in his gut when he can finally leave the memory of himself inside her mind. He alters the memories slightly to make the small shows of magic she's seen from both him and Simon disappear.

Jocelyn invites them over to tea, Magnus accepts with a grim smile and both parents watch with dread in their stomachs as their children hug.

One day that friendship would fall and the empire would fall with it.  
But until that day Simon Lewis-Bane and Clary Fray were happy. And in the end that was all that really mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've seen some comments pass by and I want to clear up one thing:  
> This story will probably center around Simon (an Clary's)childhood till the age of 18/19.   
> Where the show portion starts will probably be in the second book I plan to write for this series.  
> At the speed I'm writing,assuming I don't lose inspiration, I don't think that's much further away.  
> The next couple of chapters will mostly focus on Clary and Simon's friendship and Simon developing as a person.  
> I know that some of you might find that a bit boring but I don't plan to half ass this just to get to the exciting 'Clary enters the chat' moment.  
> Hope you understand that I just really want to flesh out Simon's character in this series and the relationships with his loved ones.  
> Look forward to some Clary&Simon bonding, Simon questioning his sexuality and Big bother Raphael.  
> -Lunatic out


	10. Awkward dinner parties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke invites Simon and his family over for dinner and The family Bane struggles to dance around the subject of the supernatural.

Clary Fray was excited. 

She and Simon had been playing out in the park when Luke had casually suggested to Magnus that they should meet up with the whole family sometime. The sparkly man had seemed reluctant until Simon had thrown him a pleading look. Clary had watched in fascination as Simon's new dad basically crumbled at the look Simon had throw him and later, when they were playing a bit further from the adults, Clary had demanded Simon he teach her.

They had a blast trying to make each other do things by pulling the cutest face and both kids were utterly bummed out when their respective adoptive dads came to get them so they could leave.

The conversation was forgotten for about a week until her mother stood fussing in the kitchen with self made dip and crackers. When she'd asked why ,her mother had looked utterly exasperated and answered that the Bane's were coming over for dinner per Luke's request.

She didn't really sound all that happy about it but Clary kind of figured it was the stress of having guests over that was getting to her. The little girl began to feel excited, something that only grew when Luke came home with a weird bag and told her it was for Simon's big brother.

Apparently the big awesome brother Simon always talked about was on a strict liquid diet for a while because of some medical issue. Luke had to go get his medicine to mix into his soup.

There was something weird about the way Luke said it but Clary was already half gone in her mind as she tried to imagine how Simon's brother would act. Her best friend had admitted that his bother was hard to get to open up. According to Simon it had taken 'a disgustingly long time' to get Raphael to agree to watch his favorite movies with him.

Clary had hopefully asked if they would take their cat with them too but Luke had just laughed loudly at that. 

At the same time as this was happening the family dubbed 'the Bane's' by anybody who knew them, were freaking out.

Simon had been instructed to change his clothes a total of 6 times by the time Magnus deemed him acceptable and Raphael refused to be cooperative.

The trio had rehearsed their cover stories a number of times over the last week. Just in case anybody asked them something about their home/work lives. Both Jocelyn and Luke knew they should avoid asking about such things but they had raised a well mannered curious kid so there was no harm in being prepared.

Once it was time to get to the Fray household all three immortal beings were stressed out of their minds. Simon afraid that one screw up would result in never being able to see Clary again,Magnus sure that everything would go wrong and the combined force of their worry driving Raphael over the edge.

It's Simon who opens a portal to his old neighborhood. The loft where Clary and her mother live has a perfect alleyway behind it that Simon portals them to. Some of the tension in his shoulders eases as he successfully brings them from one location to another.

"I'm impressed Hermanito,"Raphael says,smile spread across his face that is so different from his normal stoic look. He ruffles Simon's hair fondly. The young warlock pushes Raphael's hand away and tries to smooth his hair back down to no avail.

"Ayah ,Rapha messed with my hair again!"Simon complained loudly, mostly just joking. Magnus turns around to look at them and smiles fondly as he sees his youngest trying to jump high enough to ruffle his oldest's hair back. With a flick of his wrists both of their hair fall perfectly into place again.

They finally get out of the alleyway and it's with a belated thought that Magnus summons a good brown scotch and a bouquet of flowers. The entrance isn't far away from them and they don't even have to ring the doorbell as the door swings open just as they arrive at it.

Luke and Jocelyn stand in the entrance hall with a bouncing Clary behind them.

"Good evening Jocelyn,Luke,Biscuit" Magnus greets them pleasantly. He hands his gifts over to the couple and finds himself in a very unexpected friendly hug from Luke and a quick cheek kiss from Jocelyn. They greet Simon in a similar way and both shake Raphael's hand when they finally stop fussing over 'how handsome 'Simon looks.

They are invited inside and after some pleading looks from both Simon and Clary ,the adults give in and allow them to sneak away to Clary's room. This allows the adults a bit more free reign on conversation topics. It's Raphael that first broaches the topic of the increase of demon activity in New York over the last year. They spend a good chunk of their time alone discussing what might be going on. Luke and Raphael come to a mutual agreement to keep each other updated and Magnus is almost relieved when Simon and Clary come stumbling back into the room.

He'd never enjoyed talks like that one. Though it was nice to see two different species of downworlders working together ,it reminded the older warlock to much of war. When enemies banded together to fight a greater evil.

Clary brings some sort of ease with her, untouched by the horrors of the shadowworld.

Jocelyn and Magnus share a secret smile when Simon and Clary start to animatedly explain the plot to the latest comic they'd finished together. It had quickly become a favorite pastime for both kids to just sit and read together. Once a week ever since they met again Clary dragged Simon to the comic book store close to their house and they would both buy two examples of the same comic so that they could hold some sort of superhero book club.

The adults found it absolutely adorable.

"So wait,Miles is the new Spider-Man then?"Raphael asked with some intrigue in his voice, Simon's fondness of the superhero had rubbed off on him a small bit over the last couple of years. It was just so easy to love what Simon loved since the boy was so excited all the time.

"Yes! He looks really cool too! I think they might give him an entirely new series, Peter Parker will obviously always be my favorite," Simon said, rolling his eyes as if thinking otherwise was just stupid.

"But you're willing to give this miles guy a chance," Raphael concludes with a nod, Simon smiles brightly when it seems his older brother gets it.

Jocelyn claps her hands when a loud beeping sound interrupts their conversation and nods at Luke. She leaves for the kitchen and Luke gives them all a warm smile.

"Looks like dinner is ready, how about we all go sit at the table. Raphael do you want your b-soup warm or cold?" The 4 people in the room aware of the supernatural stiffen at the almost slip up but Clary looks none the wiser. Raphael gives Luke directions on how long it should be in the microwave and the small family plus Clary settle themselves around the dining table as Luke goes to do what Raphael instructed.

Clary immediately turns her attention to Simon's older brother. She looks at him up and down for a second before deciding he looked nice enough and started up a conversation.

"Mom says you work in a hotel, is that true?"she asks ,not noticing the uneasy looks the members of the family Bane shoot one another. Raphael does his best to clear his throat inconspicuously and lets a smile grace his features.

"I do, I work at a hotel down town as a manager, pretty boring job if you ask me," The older boy finally conceded, he looked about 19 years old and bared no resemblance to Magnus at all. This made Clary wonder.

"Did Magnus adopt you as well?"she boldly asked, Clary knew that children didn't always have to look like their parents but Raphael's pale complexion was a stark contrast to Magnus' light brown skin. She knew that Magnus had adopted Simon but whenever the other boy had talked about his older brother she had always thought that Raphael would be Magnus' biological son.

Another look of panic passes through the family that goes completely unnoticed by Clary.

"He did, I was in a rough patch of my life and my parents threw me out for- erm .....reasons," Raphael told her, looking somewhat uncertain but she guessed that had to do with the fact that he didn't like to talk about his past. Simon had told her that as well.

"And I'm sorry to ask but how old are you? Simon never mentioned... I thought that you were 18 but then you wouldn't already be a manager right?" It was a good observation and for half a second Raphael cursed Jocelyn for raising such an attentive child.

"I'm 24 as of last year, Honored that you thought me younger though... "He dances expertly around the question about how he managed to land the position of manager. Jocelyn and Luke return from the kitchen just after his statement ,distracting Clary from further interrogation. 

The rest of the night is pent in a similar fashion. The whole group dancing delicately around hard to answer questions and forbidden topics. Towards the end of the night both families relax a bit further. Any slip ups they'd had had been easily covered by an eccentric story or a well designed explanation.

Two families have a long way to go before they can call themselves friends but for now they were allies and allies were better then enemies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The family Bane and the family Fray meet at last!  
> You all ready for Simon to discover more about himself?  
> -Lunatic out


	11. Falling, Falling,Falling in love.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon realizes he has a crush on one of his year mates and goes to Clary for help.

Simon is 14 years old and on the verge of a panic attack.

He has no idea how this happened and how he gets out of it. It wasn't like something bad had happened! He'd just been looking out of the window during history class. This was about the only class that Magnus allowed him to ignore as most mundane History had big gaping holes that weren't obvious until you were taught downworlder history.

And then a boy from the Science division had knocked on the door of their classroom to ask for a hole puncher. Simon vaguely knew the guy's name was Liam and about half of the girls in school had a giant crush on him.

Simon kind of got it because Liam was so handsome and he was on the track team, he was also really smart and- Oh fuck.

This is how Simon Lewis-Bane realizes he has a crush on a boy.

Cue the utter panic that seizes every coherent thought in his head. It's not like liking boys was bad! His dad liked boys too and Simon is pretty sure that Rapha did as well. It's just that Simon had never felt like that before, ever. He quickly asks to go to the bathroom and calls Magnus to pick him up.

He refuses to tell the older warlock what set off the panic attack. Immediately disappearing into his room when they arrive home. He didn't know how he was going to explain to his raging bisexual dad that he'd freaked out because he liked a boy and didn't at all know what to do with these feelings.

That's why Simon seeks out Clary. She always finishes an hour earlier then him so he doesn't have to wait long before she arrives at home on her bike like always. She looks genuinely surprised to see him but Simon barely has any time to explain why he's there before she flings herself at him and gives him a hug.

The distress must have been written clearly across his features. She quietly opens the door and the pair don't talk until they're both sitting at the kitchen counter with a warm cup of hot chocolate.

"Want to tell me what's wrong?" Clary finally dares to ask, Simon lets out a very long suffering sigh and considers just saying 'no' and asking her to play video games with him but knows better than to think she'd let it go.

"It's nothing bad honestly, I just kind of freaked out at school and my dad had to come and get me,"Simon lamely tells her, he feels ridiculous for having reacted like that. Sometimes things just made him panic. The therapist Magnus had insisted he see every month called it an 'overload' when he'd pile all of his feelings up until he accidentally pulled the wrong block from the metaphorical Jenga tower.

"Why'd you freak out?" Clary asked softly, she was always so patient with him and Simon is surprised he hadn't fallen in love with her yet. It wasn't like he wasn't into girls, he'd noticed the girls at his school at least. He thinks that maybe if they hadn't missed out on those crucial 5 years that he might have fallen for her.

Simon covers his face with his hands, knowing full well that Clary couldn't hear his response as he utters it into the palm of his hand. She playfully swats his hands away and Simon can't hide the blush that had built up over his face. His best friend looks seriously at him and another sigh escapes him before he answers.

"I realized I had a crush on somebody and couldn't handle it," It wasn't as much the crush as the fact that it was Liam Frikin Mason that he was crushing on but as long as Clary didn't ask she didn't need to know that.

Clary,of course, looked straight through him (no pun intended).

"That's not the reason,"she states and Simon knows he'll have to tell her. He has been trying to make up for the fact that he has to lie to Clary her entire life until Jocelyn decides to tell her by never lying to Clary about the small stuff.

"His name is Liam Mason ,he's really cute and I didn't realize I liked boys until he walked into class today," Simon closes his eyes and cringes when he hears Clary laugh.

This is it, his friendship is ruined, Clary is judging him and he has some self respect so he should stand and-

"I can't believe you didn't know! Simon I think you've had a crush on Peter Parker Since we were 5!" All panic he felt flooded instantly and he looked up at her in complete shock. The red head was shaking with silent laughter, completely red faced from trying to hold it in.

"Hey! I resent that! Just because I think he's pretty doesn't mean- oh my god you're absolutely right," Simon stares shocked at the kitchen counter as the reality of his spider-man obsession comes crashing down.

Clary ,who had somewhat calmed down, was sent into another fit of laughter when she looked at his utterly shocked face.

"But-but I kinda like everybody? You know I told you that Emily from my class is really cute, that wasn't a lie,"Simon said after a moment of collecting his thoughts. He absently fiddles with his father's bracelet and his heart stops for a full second when he accidentally undoes the clasp. Luckily Clary was still recovering from her laughing episode and she only manages to catch a glimpse of red in his eyes that she explains away as a trick of the light.

Crisis narrowly averted, Simon goes back to pondering what to make of his sexuality. He knew from both mag and Rapha that there was no rush in figuring himself out. He'd likely forever be stuck in his early twenties or at most thirties for the rest of time. That was the perfect age to discover yourself Magnus had told him with some mystified and fond glint in his eyes.

Still Simon liked clarity. 

"I've heard of something like that,"Clary finally spoke up. She fished her phone out of her pocket and Simon held in the surprised sound that wormed it's way up his throat when he saw her background was a very familiar Bi-flag.

She opens an app on her phone without seeming to notice Simon's small crisis and finally pulls up a picture of different kinds of pride flags, all with short explanations beside them.

She zooms in on one with Blue,yellow and Pink. It looks aesthetically pleasing to Simon and he absently stores that color combination in his head if he decides to change the colors to Raphael's suit again next time he sees his big brother.

It was something Raphael got immensely annoyed at which meant that Simon had to keep doing it to quench his younger sibling thirst for chaos. Since Raphael didn't live with them they had to get creative with the time they could spend together.

Between movie nights and time spent annoying each other it was a pretty busy schedule.

"A pansexual person is attracted to people regardless of their gender. They are attracted to people for who they are, not what they are,"Clary reads the short description out loud, calling Simon's attention to her again.

A smile slowly spreads across his face. That was pretty much how he felt and he identifies the feeling in his stomach that had uncoiled as acceptance. The two teenagers share a smile and Simon drags her to her room to discuss it more.

Eventually he broaches the subject of her background. Clary comes out as bisexual to him. She tells him it's still pretty new and that all the blogs and websites she'd been on had all informed her that change in sexuality was possible. They were young and figuring themselves out, there was loads of time to decide who they loved.

2 weeks later Simon enters the living room with a large Pansexual flag in his arms that he plans to hang up in his room. Magnus and Raphael both smile and hug him when they see it. Plans are made to go to pride with him, Clary and Magnus. And Raphael promises to join the after party once he can go outside.

If Simon changes his mind 3000 times and keeps figuring himself out, well then that's just human. He knows that his family will love him no matter what and that's really all that counts.

He asks Liam Mason to homecoming and is pleasantly surprised when the other boy agrees. Simon gets his first kiss and something hurts deeply inside when he has to slowly let go of the other boy because of his mundane status.

Magnus tells him it's for the best, Simon still cries himself to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Simon discovering his sexuality and coming face to face with his seclusion from the mundane world ,the hard way.  
> I know I keep hurting him but that's just how I roll.  
> Question: Are there any ships you want to see? The only ship I refuse to change is Magnus/Alec and it would be disgusting to set up Raphael and Simon.   
> Other then that none of the ships are set in stone and if you have a suggestion I'll gladly consider it.  
> -Lunatic out


	12. Mr and Mrs Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon and Clary get up to no good, Raphael has a headache and Magnus says some things he shouldn't have.

They are 16 years old and filled with the desire to cause some chaos.

That's the only excuse Simon can find for why he and Clary were driving through New York in Simon's new van at 4 in the morning on a school night. He'd basically begged his dad for this car, not wanting any of the fancy alternatives the older warlock had suggested.

Magnus had turned his nose up at the big clunky yellow monstrosity that was this van but Simon had fallen in love with it and refused any other car Magnus offered him. It became a pretty petty battle of wills which Magnus lost spectacularly since all Simon had to do was say "please dad" and give him one of his signature pleading looks to make the old man cave.

Clary had taken his van and seen a blank canvas. Both teens had sat together when he'd first showed her his new car and sketched up some designs to paint unto it. Simon's art skills weren't great but he was excellent in explaining what he wanted and Clary was a master at understanding him.

They'd decorated the whole van together. Simon working inside to hang up fairy-lights in the back and creating a space to chill for both him and Clary. He'd bought two comfortable bean bags that sat perfectly in the space and with Raphael's help he fastened a small coffee-table to the floor of the van the mundane way.

Walls of flowers had been created with boxes of cheap plastic dollar-store flowers.He'd covered the inside of the back doors and the two walls with them and was only satisfied when he couldn't see the metal of the walls any longer. Clary then painted a deep blue sky on the ceiling which they stuck those weird glow stars to.

Simon sneakily Magicked the floor of the van to be fake grass when he looked up the price and decided that was to expensive. Clary and Him had 'camped' in his van a couple of times already and both could say with utter conviction that it was a safe haven for them.

The outside of the van kept changing. Mostly because Simon used the van for his gigs and Clary changed the art every time the band name changed.

Him, 4 guys and one girl had started a band at the very end of last year. Simon was the lead singer and guitarist. Magnus thought it was a perfect way to practice keeping his magic at bay while playing music.

He'd allowed them to play a couple of times in the pandemonium and soon word got out about the band frequenting the most popular club in all of Brooklyn.

Requests started rolling in with nobody the wiser that Simon was just the son of the club owner.

"Take a left here," Clary cuts through Simon's thoughts and he sharply jerks at his steering wheel to make the van go left at the last second. Many cars honk angrily behind him but Simon can't help but feel thrilled as adrenaline courses through him.

"Where are we going again Fray?" Simon asks as he looks at his best friend. She's looking at her phone which displays the rout they were taking. She gives him a secretive smile and Simon almost hits a car that comes to stop in front of him.

"How did you get your licence again?" Clary mocks, holding a hand up to her chest in chock and Simon can't help but laugh.

"I can get anything if I just flutter my eyelashes and look pretty Clary, Have you looked at me?" The girl rolls her eyes at him and he sees he needs to make a right from the corner of his eye.

As he does so they arrive at their destination.

It's a big abandoned tunnel that used to supposedly lead to another street that now no longer existed anymore. Clary's smirk grows as she starts to open the door before Simon can even stop the car. He curses her under his breath and finally pulls the car to a standstill.

Clary is hopping out as he puts his baby into park and he reluctantly gets out of the van as well.

The creepy industrial light Clary had insisted of bringing with them is in said girl's hands a second later and Simon doesn't have much time to ask questions when she switches it on.

In the stark middle of the empty concrete wall stood a tag that Simon recognized. He let out a surprised laugh as he walked forward to inspect it further. 'Clary and Simon VS The World' It read. Clary had designed the tag ages ago and it's the only drawing on the van that doesn't get changed up every once in a while.

"Clary this is awesome,"Simon whispers as he stares in awe at the wall. With another smirk Clary pulls the backpack she'd brought, off her back and pulls out a set of spray paints.

"Nobody comes down here and I figured that we needed to celebrate! You don't just get a gig at The Green Club and then not celebrate," She explained. Doing that thing where she rolls her eyes as if it's obvious that she picked up from Simon ages ago.

"Alright Fray,pass me the green," Clary lets out a delighted squeal and hold up the two choices for green he has. He picks the nice acid one and starts to spray. He wasn't great at drawing but tagging felt completely different. Just a squiggle was enough to be considered 'graffiti' and Simon reveled in the fact that art had so many meanings and ways to be expressed.

He's barely done with drawing a bunch of leaves when he looks over at Clary and sees she's already created a big part of a masterpiece. It's a miracle that his self-esteem hadn't collapsed by being outshone by Clary in a lot of things. Simon secretly thinks it's Magnus' influence on him that keeps him from thinking things like 'oh she can do that better then me,I must be horrible!'

He focuses back on his toddler-esque drawing and carefully sneaks the purple away from Clary.

In the end it's nearing 5 am when Clary calls her drawing done and Simon had finished his own 'drawing' about 15 minutes before. 

He starts taking in the artwork Clary had graced the rest of the wall with when he's quite literally startled so badly by a voice that he trips over his own feet and lands on his face.

He's standing up and wiping his glasses with his shirt when he realizes just who that voice belonged to. Raphael looked close to furious and Simon guesses that Magnus had woken up from his slumber to find him gone.

He had left Mag a message but the older man rarely checks his phone when he wakes up.

"I'll ask you again.What the hell are you doing here?" That sounded way angrier then Raphael would normally get when he found out Simon sneaked out. Of course they'd never been caught in the act so they might just be experiencing Raphael's initial anger.

"Simon I don't think you realize how close you are to the hotel," 

And oh, yeah no that was a perfectly valid reason for being so angry. There was one major rule in the Bane household. Magnus had always told him he could have fun and explore the world even at ungodly hours but the only thing he'd asked of him was to never,ever,get in a 3 mile radius of the Hotel Dumort.

This clearly hadn't been what Clary was expecting either. Raphael wasn't mad because they were outside at 5 am, he was mad over where they were. All excuses of not being able to sleep and Simon being such a wonderful friend for picking her up and keeping her busy fled her.

"I swear to you that I did not know we were so close to the hotel, Just... I'll drive home and Clary can sleep over?" Simon seemed to be compromising and Clary realized he must know why Raphael was mad at them for such a weird reason.

Raphael grunted, still visibly angry but somewhat softened after hearing the literal trembles in Simon's voice that Clary was to Human to hear. He mentions them over to the van and jumps in the drivers side of the car. Clary and Simon scramble to get their stuff together and Clary crashes together with the equipment in the back of the van.

Exhaustion was coming down hard on both of them and Simon feels kind of grateful that Raphael found them when he did. God forbid they actually fell asleep on accident so close to the local vampire lair.

The ride to Magnus' loft is very quiet and Simon will deny that he fell asleep twice if anybody ever asked. When they enter the building the sky was starting to lighten and it's with a sudden burst of urgency that Simon scoops a sleeping Clary up in his arms and moves her inside.

The door closes behind him just as the sky starts to turn pink and it's in his slightly dazed state that Simon reaches out with his magic to close all the blinds before they enter the apartment. 

Magnus is pacing in the middle of the living room, apparently not having noticed all the blinds slamming shut in his worry. The creaking of the door draws his attention and Simon almost drops Clary at the strong wave of magic that leaves the older warlock at the sight of them. He feels it search his whole body and probably Clary's too before the energy seems satisfied.

After being sure that neither were hurt Magnus' eyes fill with pure anger and even Raphael steps back when Magnus advances on them.

"I have cared for you since you were a young boy, Loved and cherished you! Do you think any of that matters if you end up dead in a ditch!" the older warlock screams. This time Simon does let go of Clary and it's only pure reflex that makes him reach out with his magic to cushion her fall.

Surprisingly she doesn't even stir. Simon stares at her for a full second before refocusing back on the very angry dad that stood in front of him.

"Dad I-" Magnus doesn't even let him finish. Eyes still burning fiercely and looking utterly hurt.

"I was so scared when Raphael called me to say he smelled you nearby! I thought that Camille might have found you! Can you really be so ungrateful that you throw your whole life away to what?! Woo Clarissa fucking Fray?!" Magnus yelled. His face was really close to Simon's and he vaguely smells booze on his father's breath. The young warlock took a step back almost instantly. Images of his late mother leaning over the kitchen counter with an empty bottle of rum in her hand.

Tears threaten to spill from his eyes and when Magnus takes another step forward Simon can't help but fully flinch back.

Whatever rage Magnus had felt fled almost instantly as soon as he heard the way Simon's breathing stopped. A closer look at his son revealed big blown pupils and shaking hands.

Simon was having another panic attack.

It takes Simon backing up against the wall and slumping into himself before Magnus fully understands why. Soft whimpers ranging from 'please mom' and 'i'm sorry' sound passed Simon's arms and Magnus realizes the boy must have smelt the liquor on his breath from the party he'd gone to earlier.

It takes half an hour to calm Simon down completely and another half hour to calmly explain that yes Magnus and Raphael were angry at him but they were mostly just worried sick. He eventually sends Simon to bed and watches in worry as the boy drags a still unconscious Clary to his room.

He calls a slightly hysterical Jocelyn to inform her where her charge is and both parents come to the agreement that neither teen would go to school that day but would get similar punishment for being outside at that hour and making them worry like that.

Both teens are grounded for a month and the only time Simon is allowed to go out besides school is for his gigs. Magnus can't take away something that his kid loves so much even after a scare like that one.

Simon is scared to look at Magnus and Raphael for a while after. It takes an additional month to the one where Simon was grounded for him to come out of his shell again.

Magnus considers seeing Simon's therapist himself since he knows that it's purely her that convinces Simon to trust them again. After what Magnus had said he was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

But Simon smiles at them again and Magnus is reminded like many times before ,why he's proud to call him his son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh some drama in the family.  
> Obviously Simon can't stay scared forever.  
> If Elaine's whole deal seems kind of vague then don't worry, you'll get more of an explanation in one of the next chapters.  
> Next chapter Simon thinks about his life so far and how his family has been there for him every step of the way.  
> -Lunatic Out


	13. Dancing queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon turns 17 and thinks back on all the things he's done in his life, all thanks to his family.

It's 9 months after the whole '5 AM mischief' ordeal. Tomorrow was Simon's 17th birthday and he was somewhat dreading it. His birthday had always brought the reminder of his family's deaths to the forefront of his mind. Sometimes he could go the whole day without thinking about it but this year Simon knew he wouldn't be able to think of anything else.

It's been 10 years since what was left of his biological family was killed in a car crash. 10 years ago that Simon had been traumatized for life and 10 years ago that a whole new world had opened up for him.

He secretly just wants to lay in bed. He knew that Magnus and Clary had banded together to throw him some big birthday party even though it was supposed to be some kind of secret. Both his dad and his best friend were terrible liars and Simon had then both confess what they were whispering about in under 10 minutes. 

Knowing about the party hadn't really helped him because now they were both constantly coming to him for his opinion. He tries to tell them that he really , really, doesn't want a party but both party-crazed lunatics seem to censor anything he says that starts with the words 'I don't want'

That's why Simon was dreading today. It was 1 AM and he tried very hard to ignore the constant chime of his phone as a stream of birthday wishes came in. Every year he'd look at them and every fucking year he'd feel that bitter anger when he realized he wouldn't see a message from his sister,mom or dad because they were either dead or in hell for the unforeseeable future.

Sick of feeling angry Simon starts to think about the time AFTER his biological family.

A grim smile spreads across his face when he thinks about the first time he properly met Raphael. All curled up and scared of his own magic. He thinks of Ragnor and Catarina having no idea who he is and thinking him a confused mundane. He thinks of calling Magnus dad for the first time that night and thinks about how Magnus had started calling him an assortment of pet names from that moment on.

Tears brim his eyes as he thinks about his wonderful family.

He shouldn't feel shitty because his old family wasn't there. He should feel good that he has a family now.

Two dads,a mother, a big brother, a little sister and 2 cool aunts and a cool uncle.

What could he possibly want other then that?

Simon rubs his eyes in frustration as he finally gives up on having a good night's sleep and slips out of bed. The young warlock shoves his still vibrating phone into his pocket and shuffles into the living room . He takes a long look around the room before collapsing onto the couch. Chairman Meow, who Simon is surprised is still alive at this point, stands from her place on the other side of the couch and comes to settle down on his lap.Reminded of his 12th birthday. Arguably his best and worst birthday ever.

"Remember when I tried to convince dad to buy another cat?"He softly asks the feline as he rubs across her fur. She purrs loudly in response and Simon can't help but smile. "You suddenly seemed to like me... I've always been suspicious that you're much smarter then you pretend to be" 

This was insane, he was talking to a cat at 1 in the morning on his birthday and feeling sorry for himself. If there was an award for best pity party Simon would get the participation medal. Though maybe insanity helped a bit because reminiscing with a cat that didn't understand him started lifting a heavy weight that was stuck in his chest.

"Or that time when you scratched Rapha and he made this entire plan to 'accidentally' get rid of you," He feels himself chuckling and hopes that he isn't being loud enough to wake up Magnus. Raphael and Chairman Meow had always had some sort of feud between them. She'd warmed up to Simon after the threat of a competitor but no matter what his older brother tried the cat just didn't like him.

He finally shuffles his phone out of the pocket of his night shorts. Simon doesn't really think as he opens the pictures app on his phone and starts scrolling through the hundreds of pictures he has saved on it. 

He's so glad he'd transferred all of his pictures unto this one. The young warlock arrives at the oldest pic in his phone. It's a shot of him and Raphael that Magnus had taken years ago. They were both on the couch sleeping on each other and Simon smiled fondly at the two bejeweled fingers that were in view at the bottom of the picture.

Pictures after that vary between shots of him and Magnus and him and Raphael. After some scrolling Simon finally finds one of the pictures he was looking for. It's a pretty short of him, Magnus,Ragnor and Catarina sitting around the kitchen table playing cards. The whole scene looks utterly peaceful and they all look like they've know each other for ages despite the fact that Simon can't be older then 8 and this had been taken on his uncle and aunt's second visit. He hadn't even started calling them that yet.

After shortly considering it Simon makes another folder on his phone and calls it 'my family'. He drops the picture inside coupled with some pictures of Magnus and Raphael.

Further down the large array of pictures he finds a shot of him and Clary at the comic book store. They must be 13, unaware of their dawning sexualites and crises that await them. He saves that to the folder as well and goes to actively search for ones of him and Dot. 

Dot was basically Clary's older sister but since she was a good friend of Magnus and also a warlock she was dubbed 'aunt' right next to Catarina. He finds a sweet pick of Dot holding up his Tarot cards that she'd played for him while he fake cried next to her.

Individual pictures of Luke and Alaric show up sprinkled between pictures of him and Clary and Simon has to mentally add Alaric to the cool uncles list. The warlock had been utterly fascinated by werewolves as a species but Luke had never been comfortable to discuss anything along those lines with Simon.

Alaric had been all for satiating Simon's curiosity and would answer the stream of endless questions with a never budging smile of his face. He found it funny how mesmerized Simon would become with downworlder culture. He told him once that he'd never met a warlock so curious about things that didn't immediately concerned them. Simon countered this with the fact that it did concern him because he lived in the shadowworld and what if he was ignorant and accidentally offended a downworlder's culture?

Alaric had conceded and continued to answer all of his questions, earning himself cool uncle brownie points. 

A picture of Jocelyn crosses by and Simon thinks for a while before he adds her as well. Jocelyn had always been like a mother to him. She'd been there when his own mother had drank to much before everything and continued to be there after he made a miraculous return.

He can't say that he hadn't had to work for it the second time though. She hadn't looked at him for 2 weeks after they reunited and it had taken all of Simon's pride and bravery to ask her if he'd done something wrong.

This is how Simon learned that Shadowhunters were even bigger douche bags then he thought they were. Because Jocelyn's problem hadn't been him, it had been the fact that his father was a demon and that that made Simon a warlock.

He doesn't exactly know what changed her mind but he suspects it has a lot to do with him going to Magnus to ask if 'being a warlock was bad'. Simon had to take a guess and say that his old man had rained down hell on Jocelyn and she'd never again told him that she couldn't look at him without seeing a warlock.

Jocelyn brought many mixed feelings to the table. All of which he had no time to unpack. All in all Simon loved her like a mother but he hated her for what she was doing to Clary.

He hates himself for allowing her to until he was old enough to really understand what they were doing to Clary. They'd only ever fought once but for very good reason. Simon could proudly say that he'd only ever lost control of his magic a handful of times.

All of those times had in some way,shape or form been about Clary. 

He still stood by the opinion that any feelings he had for Clary were purely brotherly but for some damn reason none of his family members believed him. 

Losing control over her certainly didn't help the situation.

The point was that he'd been really angry with Jocelyn. He couldn't not put her in the family album though, so he finally concedes.

That's how Magnus finds him at 4 in the morning. On the couch in the living room with chairman Meow on his lap, going through a bunch of pictures of all of them. He silently joins his son and if the party is abruptly moved to a week later? Then nobody will know it's because the birthday boy and the organizer are stuck on the couch all night reminiscing over the things they've done.

It's a bittersweet 17th birthday but Simon likes it better that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd feel wrong to write a big birthday party on the day of the anniversary of Simon's family's deaths so here have some angsty fluff.  
> Story is almost over and then the real trouble can begin.  
> Any suggestions for a name for the 2nd book?  
> -Lunatic Out


	14. Talk and Talk and Stalk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon and Jocelyn talk about Clary's oncoming birthday and Raphael finds out Camille is up to something.

It's two weeks before Halloween and 3 weeks until Clary's birthday.Simon is working himself into a frenzy trying to balance his music degree, finding a present for Clary and keeping his emotions in check.

This was the year. Jocelyn would finally tell Clary that her whole life was a lie and Clary would most likely be so angry at all of them. Luke ha d tried to get Jocelyn to tell her daughter when she had turned 16 but the ex-shadowhunter had absolutely refused. 

Now Simon had to hear Clary go on and on about her meeting with the board of a local art school she really wants to go to with dread pooling in his stomach. It was very very likely that when Clary finds out about her nephilim blood she'll be dragged into the shadowworld with no way to return. The young warlock was sure that Clary would probably never go to the art school that she desired.

He himself was surprised that he was even going to school. His schedule was chaotic and Simon really had no clue how he managed to fit in music school.He suspected magic.

Raphael had droned on for hours about the fact that Simon had decades to study and learn and that he should enjoy every second of his life before subjecting himself to more torture.

Just for the fun of it Simon had suggested he go do accounting instead of majoring in Music and audiovisual arts. Raphael had stopped complaining after that. Simon knew that he had all the time in the world to study and figure things out. He was seriously looking forward to seeing the world in all it's glory. 

But right now he had Clary and Luke and his band. People who wouldn't always be there no matter how much Simon wished they would be. The subject of his immortality had been brought up at his own 18th birthday and Simon could say with full conviction that he was not looking forward to the day where he realized he stopped aging.

'Youth is a wonderful thing until you have to live in it forever.' Magnus always said.He'd lived for many lifetimes, some not as exciting as others and had seen many beautiful and morbid things. Nobody had ever taken him seriously as his age had stilled around his 27th birthday. 'To young to have any experience in real life' people would say. Magnus loved his young complexion and wouldn't have it any other way. But people never took 20-something adults seriously when it mattered.

When they'd talked about the fact that Simon was approaching the age where some Warlocks got 'stuck' something had shifted inside the young warlock. Like a paradigm shift.

His mortal loved ones were just that, mortal. Simon hadn't wanted to talk to Clary for a whole week and when he finally saw her he just broke down crying. He couldn't tell her what he was really thinking which somehow made it worse because she couldn't comfort him in her usual cheesy 'I will always be in your heart'-way . That just upset him further.

This is when he decided he needed to speak to Jocelyn.

Now 5 months later and somewhat calmed down from his minor existential crisis Simon was standing outside the Fray's loft with no intention of going inside any time soon.

He tried to gather his thoughts but he honestly had no idea what he wanted to accomplish by talking to his best friends' mom. It's not like she would listen to him and Clary's birthday wasn't very far away so telling her now VS telling her in 3 weeks really didn't make much of a difference.

Still, he needed to talk to Jocelyn. Needed to tell her for the last time that he had never agreed with her. Needs her to know because Jocelyn won't live forever either but he can't think about that now. 

Before he can raise his hand to ring the doorbell, the door swings open. Jocelyn stands in the doorway with a totally unimpressed look on her face. He shoots her a sheepish smile but makes no move to go inside. Her eyebrows raise in surprise when she realizes he's not just going to barrel passed her to see Clary.

"Aren't you coming in?" she asked, voice still slightly groggy with sleep. Simon shifts nervously on his feet.

"I was hoping we could go for a walk and..... talk about 'stuff'"He puts quotation marks around the word stuff with his fingers, knowing that she'd know what he meant. Her look of surprise morphs into one of shock and for a second she looks down. She's wearing a big worn sweater that Simon guesses used to belong to Luke. Her sweatpants had seen better days,stained with paint and coffee(?). But she deemed herself presentable enough and turned to put on her coat and boots.

Simon pretended not to see her slip her stele inside her pocket,knowing full well that the world was always dangerous even if they were just taking a walk on an early fall morning. She closes the door behind her,not bothering to search for her keys since she knows full well that Simon has a spare that was on the key-chain together with his own house keys and car key.

They start walking in a random direction and for a while Simon is happy to just have them walking in silence. He hand't done anything like this with Jocelyn since he was 16 years old and that was actually really sad now that he thought about it.

Finally he mustered up the courage to speak before Jocelyn got fed up with the silence.

"It's her birthday soon," He starts and it's almost worrying how much the woman's posture changes as the words leave his mouth. She stiffens visibly and her relaxed pace quickens ever so slightly.

"If this is going to be another one of those 'you did the wrong thing' conversations then I'm just going to turn back,"The woman he looked up at as a mother said with a glint of hurt in her voice. She turns to leave but Simon grabs her wrist before she can go anywhere.

"Just hear me out," He pleads, It wouldn't just be one of those conversations. Simon wasn't that horrible,he knew Luke was giving Jocelyn more shit about it then usual and it was straining their already strained relationship.

Jocelyn looked pretty uncertain but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, resuming walking together.

"Look, you already know that I never agreed with you on the whole Clary front," he starts, closing his eyes so he doesn't have to see her freeze up again. " But mostly.... I'm thankful" 

That hadn't been what Jocelyn had expected despite the fact that he had said so. He opens his eyes again as he feels her stop and sees she's staring at him in shock. A very soft 'what?' escapes her and Simon feels really sorry for her in that moment.

He mentions for her to keep walking and twists the fabric of his soft hoodie between his fingers nervously. He'd never voiced any of this before but he felt like he had to now.

"I grew up in the shadowworld completely informed of all the horrors and beauties of it and I know that if you had raised Clary in that world too she wouldn't have been the same girl that we love," he says after a moment of silence, he's thought a lot about that over the years. Simon's opinion of shadowhunters had never been great after finding out about their history. If Clary had grown up with that.... he just couldn't imagine it.

"She cares a lot about you and I want you to know that I'm sure she'll still love you after you tell her, She's strong and who knows? Maybe she'll change the downworld for the better once she's a part of it. If she would have grown up in that-, and I'm sorry to say it,-oppressive shadowhunter society... I don't know if she would have survived. She's to kind-hearted." 

He sees tears stream down Jocelyn's cheeks from the corner of his eye and for the first time Simon realizes how heavy the choice of removing Clary's memories must have weighed upon her shoulders. He's stopped abruptly mid step as Jocelyn throws herself at him. She's shaking as she snakes her arms around him and Simon feels tears swelling up in his own eyes when he hugs her back.

"She'll be okay"

\---------

Across town Raphael Santiago had no idea why he was still awake. It must be way passed sunrise by now but Camille had moaned and groaned about 'big plans' and somehow he'd gotten stuck following her again. 

After Simon he'd never trusted her again. Not that he ever really had before the whole ordeal but he was way more vocal about it after. The only one who really had any clue why was Lily. 

His right hand hadn't met Simon ever, it being to suspicious to have them both disappear at the same time without and explanation that wasn't 'we're fucking'. One because everybody knew Lily was very much a big thirsty lesbian and two because nobody had ever seen or heard of Raphael sleeping with anybody and using that excuse would raise way more questions then they were prepared to deal with.

So Lily had to settle for just hearing Raphael babble about his family with a fondness she'd feared he lost when he turned. Raphael had changed so much since Simon entered (and Magnus reentered) his life. He actually smiled sometimes now! 

But none of this was the point, the point was that Camille was being shady again and Raphael had to figure out why, hopefully without making his father adopt another downworlder.

He feels dread pooling at the pit of his stomach as he follows the leader of their clan on the all to familiar route to the basement. If Camille had kidnapped another kid he was going to murder her. Straight up rip her head off of her shoulders. 

He follows the same strategy he did when he discovered Simon, Finding out where she was going and then leaving to revisit the place later. He cringes when he finds out it's the exact room where she held Simon captive and for a small unexplainable moment, Raphael fears she'd taken Simon hostage again without him knowing.

This moment quickly passes because he saw Simon literally yesterday and Magnus had sent him a photo of the young warlock sleeping on the couch with his head resting on Chairman Meow that same morning. 

He takes his time getting out a book from the unused living room he fled to after following Camille and doesn't even react when said vampire comes strolling passed with a vicious smile on her face. 

Raphael manages to read a whole new chapter of the book in his hands before he calmly gets up and ,in a very controlled way, hurries to the basement. The door seems even more foreboding then when Simon had been behind it and Raphael takes a slow unnecessary breath before twisting the door handle and stepping inside. 

What must be hundreds of Pictures are stuck to the walls and ceiling. Scattered between them are pieces of paper with some sort of information on them or sometimes things written straight unto the wall. Red threads connect everything together and Raphael tries really hard to keep his composure in check.

All of the pictures are a mix of shots of just the person alone or with his best friend.

There's something written in big red marker on the wall.

'Simon Lewis'

"Shit"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of foreshadowing for the second story and some mother/son bonding between Simon and Jocelyn.  
> Any ideas on possible ship changes yet?   
> -Lunatic out


	15. Then we were falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clary turns 18 and Simon tries to enjoy what feels like will be the last day of their friendship, it all comes crashing down.

Today was the day!

Simon was utterly fucked. He'd been stressing out about this day for literal years and now it was here and he had no idea how to deal with it. Clary had made all these plans of how she wanted to spend her 18th birthday. They had a big birthday dinner planned for that night after giving Clary her one wish of celebrating at the pandemonium. She'd begged her mother for hours until Jocelyn had finally agreed on the condition that she'd be back before 12 so that they could have a really late dinner with both families.

Even Raphael was coming! Simon hoped that having her entire family there would somewhat soften the blow. And if it didn't then at least Simon would have the comfort of his family when she stormed off. He loved Clary like a sister and she was basically a golden retriever when it came to her personality but damn did she have a temper.

She'd say things that she doesn't mean in the end. And then she would tell Si she didn't mean any of it but Simon wouldn't really believe her because well.... he had issues that hadn't been resolved fully despite the fact that he'd been seeing a therapist for years. Magnus told him that mental health takes a lot of care and time but the young warlock was very impatient and just wished he wouldn't nearly have a panic attack every time somebody closed the door to the room he was in.

Anyway that wasn't the point, the point was that Clary had gone to that big board meeting of that art school and just told him that she actually got in.

Which was fucking crazy because those kinds of schools were always stuck up and barely ever allowed artists like Clary in. Clary painted and drew mostly on feeling without any deeper 'meaning' she liked chilling around and sketching Simon while he was jamming out or staining her clothes and skin with charcoal while trying to draw Chairman Meow.

But she'd gotten in and now she was babbling happily about the fact that it were the drawings for their graphic novel that had reserved her a spot in the class of 2016. Simon was really happy for her. He also felt really guilty. Celebrating with her about something he knew she would most likely have to lose the very same day. It felt wrong and down right cruel.

But breaking her perfect bubble would shatter her right now so he laughed along. 

"I'm impressed Fray, remember me when you're famous,"he teased. Getting a good laugh out of how her cheeks flushed bright red. "Har har Si, you have no foot to stand on with your fancy gigs. You're doing a lot more things then me, say how is Maureen?" Simon sputtered in shock at the implication. Knowing full well that he had it coming for that famous comment. Clary was clearly delighted at his reaction as she laughed loudly.

Both were ware of Maureen's giant crush on him. Simon, the clueless idiot that he is, had no idea how to let the girl down easy. According to Clary his lead pianist had had feelings for him since the very beginning of their band, she even speculated that that was Maureen's whole reason for joining in the first place.

Simon wasn't sure how to break the fact that he didn't feel the same way about her without losing a major part of his band. Which he was fully aware of, is completely selfish and he should just put the girl out of her misery.

It just wasn't in his blood to hurt people.

"That's weird, I could have sworn i had a biscotti,"Clary says out loud, Simon glances over and almost chokes on his latte when he sees the treat had disappeared into one of the blank pages his artsy friend had slammed down on the table when she entered the shop all pouty making him believe she hadn't gotten in.

"Maybe you just ate it really fast? Happens to me all the time. Raphael says I have a problem,"He covers up his surprise quickly. He takes his own biscotti and offers it to her.

"How about you take mine oh wonderful one? Can't have you aging on an empty stomach," 

Clary laughs, forgetting about the lost treat and when she looks outside the window Simon, very subtly, slides the biscotti 'drawing' into his bag that he'd thrown on the table earlier. Clary doesn't seem to notice the loss of one piece of paper and quickly forgets about the whole incident.

Simon distracts her further by calling a toast to her. "L'Chaim," He holds his cup out for Clary to clink and she mirrors the movement "To life,"she says.

The moment is broken by his phone ringing and Simon holds up his hand as he answers the call.

"Ah Segar I was worried I wouldn't be able to reach you! I know you want to spend most of your time with biscuit today but could you please pick up a delivery at 41st and 9th? I swear it's really important otherwise I would not be asking you,"Magnus' voice comes through the phone and Simon can't help but sigh loudly. He'd planned to not leave Clary's side today. Jocelyn had been on edge when he dropped her off yesterday and he suspects she might try to tell Clary sooner just to get it over with.

"Yeah yeah I get it dad. I'll go grab whatever it is and bring it to you the usual way. But after that I'm staying with her," Magnus expressed how grateful he was a few times before Simon ended the call with a quick 'love you,bye!'

He turned back to Clary who had moved her attention to sketching a couple in a booth not far from them. They were peacefully leaning on each other while watching the leaves fall from the trees outside. In another life Simon might have hoped for them to be him and Clary. But here and now the only thing he could think about is that any and all relationships would hardcore suck because of his little 'not mortal' problem.

He cleared his throat to draw Clary's attention and awkwardly waved his phone around.

"Dad needs my help picking up some herbs, Need a ride home before I do? I know you ,Luke and your mom planned to have breakfast together." He asks. Both adults had insisted Clary eat with them and Simon knew the sentiment. Their last breakfast as a semi normal family.

Clary pursed her lips in thought but eventually shook her head. She shoves all of her things back in her backpack and comes over to him to hug him.

"Nah I'll be fine walking home, just a few blocks. See you after breakfast?" 

He nodded an affirmative and they both walked out of the door, already having payed for their coffee. Simon goes the opposite way that Clary's going, pretending to go to his van but really planning to just portal to 41st&9th and then sending Mag's stuff through another portal to him.

His dad was probably in the middle of brewing something when he realized he missed some ingredients. Leaving a potion unguarded was a death-wish and depending on the potion it could just be ruined if unguarded for to long.

Simon doesn't take even 10 minutes to get to his destination. The old shop, disguised as a broken down bookstore for any mundane who walked by, smelled of fresh herbs and rainwater.

There was an old woman behind the counter. Her name was Dalian, Simon remembered. She had worked here since he was brought into the shadowworld and he was sure it would be a shame when he would witness the day she died. She was a very hands on botanist with an unfortunate past with rogue werewolves. 

Magnus said she had started the little herb shop when she was just in her early 20's but Simon couldn't really imagine miss D as anything other then 80+. She greets him with her usual grunt of acknowledgement and Simon can't help the bright smile that spreads across his face.

"Hey miss D, Dad said you got a package for him?" Dalian wasn't very vocal, She'd lost most of her ability to speak because of old age. It's because of this that Simon doesn't feel as offended as he normally would when she just points at the box at the very edge of the counter. He smiles at her again. Drops the usual amount in the counter and grabs the box. 

She barely waves at him when he leaves but Simon knows she wouldn't. For some strange reason, the bitter old woman didn't like him.

With a quick flash of magic Simon sends the box to Mag's loft. A second later he gets a text that he knows will be said parent before he even looks at it.

From Ayah : Thank you Poppet, you're a godsend

He shoots a quick text back before portaling to his van and getting in.

From Segar: 'course pops, can't be expected for a man your age to move around so much. xoxo

\----------

They're chilling on top of Simon's van after his band's gig. Most of the band had left to do their own separate thing. Eric, the bass of the band, was the only one besides Maureen who stuck around but he eventually had to go.

Now he desperately wants Eric to return. With just him and Maureen, Clary was openly talking about her mother acting all weird and protective. She was twirling the stele Jocelyn had gifted her in her hands and when she had pulled it out of her Pocket it had taken every last drop of restraint Simon had to not just blurt out 'is that a stele?' 

He was right, Jocelyn had obviously tried to tell Clary before he had arrived. He silently told himself that he would have a word with his best friend's mother before dinner that night.

He makes some vague aliens reference and feels proud when Clary actually knows what he's talking about. She was honestly the best person ever.

Of course the moment had to be ruined by him saying something stupid.

"A mother defending her young," had left his lips before he could even think about it but Clary just sighed and slumped against him dramatically. "Defending me from what? I spend all of my time in an art studio, my life couldn't be more mundane."

That right there was a very very poor choice of words. Because Clary was not in fact a mundane something she would be told in a few hours and honestly Simon was getting closer and closer to just blurting it out so he didn't have to suffer anymore.

The conversation twisted into the fact that Clary literally had no family except her mom and Luke and knew nothing about her. Maureen helpfully pointed out that that was shady as fuck and that her mother could be hiding some deep life-altering secret. Yet again Simon wished he had suggested going into the club earlier.

"No seriously my mother is incapable of concealing anything from me," Clary argued back and Simon felt a fresh wave of guilt twist in his stomach. It was him and his family that were helping Jocelyn do just that and Simon really really dreaded tonight.

Luckily both girls dropped the subject. Clary gave them both a teasing smile before opening her mouth again.

"So..... Tonight you and the band went on stage as the rolling stoners...." She starts and Simon can't help but laugh. It was band tradition by now to change their name after a gig. They'd soon run out of genuine ideas and now just rotated between who was allowed to chose. 

This time he would be able to. He smiles brightly, liking the power that came with renaming the band without consulting the other band members. They had rules of course but mostly they competed to see how ridiculous of a name they could come up with. It was almost a competition at this point.

"But no more!" He shouts dramatically, ignoring the disgruntled looks of the people walking by the van to get in and out of the club they'd parked next to. "Today we were the rolling stoners but from this point on, we will be Dead Zeppelin"

Maureen first-bumps him with a giant smile on her lips. Clary hops off the van gracefully and gets her spray paints from the back.

"Dead zeppelin coming up," She says, shaking a dark blue graffiti can while sticking her tongue out slightly in concentration. He lets her do her thing and starts talking with Maureen. It's only when she calls out that she's ready that Simon realizes Clary hadn't had an appointment with Magnus in months.

Right in the middle of his van was the shadowhunter rune, the rune for angelic power. He tries to play it off as a cool tag but Clary only gets more confused because she didn't even realize she drew the damn thing in the first place.

Of course before Simon can even begin to defuse the situation the hairs on the back of his neck stand upright. He vaguely hears Maureen say something about leaning languages over night but can really only focus on looking around. Just as he's about to write this feeling off as some mistake a literal fucking shadowhunter bumps into Clary.

It's obvious by the blonde's reaction that he was wearing a concealment rune and Simon suddenly feels a headache starting to blossom in his head.

"Leave her alone man. Just go do what you came here for," Simon steps forward and the blonde shadowhunter snaps his gaze over to him. He looks down at his arm at where Simon assumes he drew the concealment rune as if checking he still had it.

"Just go,"Simon says forcefully, He didn't want shadowhunters hanging around Clary tonight.Somebody presumably calls his name and the blonde just turns and disappears into the crowd.

"Can you believe that guy?" Clary says, sounding like she was of the verge of scoffing.

"You mean the imaginary dude both of you were talking to?"

And oh Simon had forgotten Maureen was still there. He turns to tell her that she must not have seen him because of them blocking her view but suddenly Clary moves forward and fucking follows the guy.

Which was not at all the plan.

He moves to follow behind her when his phone rings. He fishes it out of his pocket determined to just press the deny button when he sees it's Raphael. The vamp would never call him if it wasn't important. With a curse under his breath Simon picked up the phone.

"Simon, Chiquito you need to grab Clary and come home right now!" Raphael sounded utterly distressed and Simon felt panic swelling in his chest.

"What? Why? What happened?" he asked hurriedly. The young warlock ignores Maureen's worried looks and starts worming his way through the crowd to find Clary.

"Jocelyn has been kidnapped by the Circle and Dad has put out an all Brooklyn warlock quarantine, they're getting everybody to the loft to be totally secure"

Simon's phone slips from his hand and clatters on the floor. 

Fuck.  
\-------  
The end of Book One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll excited?! I know I am.  
> We can finally get unto the juicy stuff. Ready for angst and a better look into the shadowworld?  
> What will happen once Clary finds out about Simon and his family?  
> Until next time.  
> -Lunatic out


End file.
